BANGUED, Abra– The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is optimistic the upcoming May 9, 2022 synchronized national and local elections will be safe, peaceful and orderly in the province following the commitment of aspirants to the different elected positions and election watchdogs to help in restoring the province’s good image in the eyes of the people from the different parts of the country.
Provincial Election Supervisor lawyer Ricardo Lampac stated that while members of the board of election inspectors and the board of canvassers are undergoing simultaneous training on the conduct of the automated elections, engagement with the various election watchdogs, police, military and concerned sectors to ensure the conduct of safe, peaceful and orderly elections in the province.
He claimed with the way things are going in the engagements with the concerned sectors, the conduct of the May polls in the province will turn to be peaceful and orderly but law enforcers and the military are still vigilant once the 45-day campaign period for the local officials will start on March 25, 2022.
Lampac pointed out that concerned sectors are wary about the image of the province once election-related violence and incidents will occur in hotly contested positions in some places in the province, thus, he asks everyone to be alert at all times to protect themselves from any collateral damage once there will be election-related violence and incidents.
The provincial election supervisor warned that the poll body will likely declare the province under Comelec control once there will be election-related similar to what had happened in previous political exercises that tainted the image of the province.
According to him, more police and military will be deployed in the province to ensure the integrity of the May polls once it will be placed under Comelec control, aside from the implementation of stringent rules and regulations governing the conduct of election-related activities to ensure peaceful and orderly elections.
Earlier, the Comelec placed some 9 towns in the province under the yellow category because of alleged intense political rivalry among candidates aspiring for the different elected positions in the said municipalities although the situation is still being validated by the local election office because there are some areas that have candidates who are unopposed.
The Abra towns classified as yellow areas are the towns of Bangued, Dolores, Penarrubia, Pidigan, Tayum, Pilar, San Juan, Lagayan and Tineg and Lagayan, while the remaining 18 towns have been classified as green areas.
Lampac rallied the people of Abra to continue adhering to the election rules and regulations aside from their compliance to the minimum public health standards to help in the realization of the peaceful and orderly conduct of the upcoming political exercise so that the true voice of the electorate will be reflected in selecting their leaders for the next 3 years.
