• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
There is no stopping the Commission on Elections in pushing through with the elections in areas affected by the Kanlaon volcano eruption in Negros Island on May 12, according Atty. Lionel Marco Castillano, the Comelec regional director for the Negros Island Region.
Castillano said there is no need to postpone the elections, as doing so will affect the proclamation of winning senatorial and party list candidates by the National Board of Canvassers.
Alert Level 3 presently remains hoisted over Kanlaon volcano.
Castillano, who met on Monday with Comelec chairman George Irwin Garcia, said they are eyeing to establish voting centers in evacuation centers where the affected voters are staying.
Castillano said the idea to transfer voting centers in the evacuation sites has the approval of the Comelec chairman.
The respective Provincial Joint Security Control Centers of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental have been tasked to prepare contingency plans, in coordination with the local disaster councils of the affected local government units.
The campaign period for the May 12 elections starts January 12.
Castillano said he will convene the NIR Regional Joint Security Control Center on Jan. 11, despite the failure of Camp Crame to appoint a new regional police director.
The RJSCC is composed of the representatives of the Philippine National Police, Philippine Army and Coast Guard, with the Comelec as the chair.
Castillano said that Area Police Command has designated its executive officer, PBrig. Rogelio Simon, to represent the PNP in the RJSCC.
The two recent shooting incidents in Negros Oriental, which was placed under Comelec control during the 2023 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, has yet to be determined by the police, whether or not it was election-related, according to the Comelec official.
It is not yet a problem, as of this time, as the Comelec and RJSCC are focusing on preparations, in case Kanlaon volcano erupts again, Castillano said.*
