There is no need to include Himamaylan City in the list of election areas of concern, Mayor Raymund Tongson said on Friday, April 21.
While there has been insurgency problems in the hinterland barangays of Himamaylan, Tongson said he does not believe it will affect the coming barangay and SK elections in October.
He believes the polls will be peaceful in Himamaylan.
There have previously been several encounters between the New People’s Army and Philippine Army forces in the hinterlands of Himamaylan.
Lawyer Ian Lee Ananoria, Negros Occidental provincial election supervisor, earlier said that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will come up with a list of the election watchlist areas, or EWAs, after the filing of the Certificates of Candidacy (CoCs) on August 28 to September 2.*