No private armed groups have been monitored in Negros Oriental ahead of the 2O25 polls, a Commission on Elections official said Tuesday, August 20.
Negros Island Region Comelec Regional Director Lionel Marco Castillano said they are keeping a close watch on Negros Oriental given its history of violence.
Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and nine others were killed in an attack on his home in Pamplona, Negros Oriental, on March 4, 2023.
Former Rep. Arnulfo Teves was tagged as the alleged mastermind but he has yet to face trial as he remains in East Timor while extradition proceeding are underway.
The Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in Negros Oriental were placed under Comelec control in 2023 but they turned out to be peaceful, Castillano said.
As a precaution Comelec Commissioner George Garcia has directed Castillano to hold office in Dumaguete City to monitor the political situation in Negros Oriental ahead of next year’s polls.
Castillano said they will be able to determine if there will be intense political rivalry in Negros Oriental after Certificates of Candidacy are filed in October.
Negros Oriental is a concern but as of this time there have been no private armed groups detected, it is peaceful, he said.*