• GILBERT P. BAYORAN

We should not be alarmed.
The declaration was made on September 22 by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, following the identification of 51 barangays in Negros Occidental as election areas of concern by the Regional Joint Security Coordinating Center, during its meeting on Thursday in Iloilo City.
Among the EWAS in Negros Occidental, three barangays are categorized as areas of concern, 45 as areas of immediate concern, and three others as areas of grave concern.
Lacson, who attended the regular meeting of the Regional Development Council in Bago City, said that by declaring a barangay as an area of concern, authorities may now closely observe the concerned village, especially during the campaign period.
By declaring as such, Lacson said other factors are also being considered such as insurgency related incidents, which has nothing to do with the synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
Negros Occidental has 662 barangays.
The governor said he is confident that Negros Occidental will have a peaceful election on October 30.
According to parameters issued by the Commission on Elections, a barangay is categorized as an election area of concern if it has recorded election related incidents in the past two years, while areas of immediate concern means there is a serious armed threat, either from the New People’s Army, or individuals.
A village placed under the category of areas of grave concern indicates the presence of armed rebels, employment of partisan armed men, intense political rivalry, and a history of election related incidents in the past.*