• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Philippine Army in Negros Occidental is on alert against the anticipated modus operandi of the New People’s Army requiring candidates in the synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on October 30, to pay permit to campaign and permit to win fees, as with previous elections.
While they have yet to receive such reports, Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, yesterday disclosed that they are anticipating NPA remnants in Negros to make their presence felt in barangays, in line with the start of the BSKE 2023 election period.
Edralin said they will not allow the conduct and distribution of any permits to campaign and/or win by the NPA to candidates.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) also reminded candidates that payment of permit to campaign and permit to win fees to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and its allied organizations are election offenses and may be grounds for disqualification.
The payment of such fees violates Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code on vote-buying and selling; and threats, intimidation, terrorism, use of fraudulent device or other forms of coercion, which may be prosecuted by the Comelec and other prosecuting arms of the government.
It is also a violation of Republic Acts No. 10168 (The Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012) and 11479 (Anti-Terrorism Act), the Comelec added.
Edralin, who attended the first coordinating conference of the newly reactivated Provincial Joint Security Control Center at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City, also disclosed that the conduct of focused military operations in barangays where the presence of rebels has been observed, is being conducted without let up.
We will be more relentless in the conduct of operations, in order to assure and ensure the safety of all candidates and voters, especially in critical areas, he stressed.*
