Daily Tribune
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair George Garcia speaks to the media during a hands-on training session for election officers on the automated counting machines (ACMs) at the World Trade Center in Pasay City on 20 November 2024. Garcia said the training is designed to familiarize election officers with the new ACMs, ensuring a smoother voting process and a better understanding for both officers and voters.
John Carlo Magallon
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday issued a warning to those planning to disrupt the upcoming national and local elections.
"Remember this, to all those who are planning to threaten and commit crimes and violence against our voters, our election officials, especially those in the field, and our electoral board members: we will make your lives difficult," Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said in Filipino during a press conference in Camp Crame.
"It’s sad because the focus is always on our staff—the teachers who are our heroes, just doing their duty. Then the voters will be intimidated. That shouldn’t happen," Garcia added.
He reiterated his call to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to dismantle private armed groups before the start of the campaign period.
"These armed groups create problems, commit acts of violence, and intimidate the public. They also disrupt the distribution of election paraphernalia," he emphasized.
"This is a fair warning to you, the Comelec will not allow, with the help of the PNP and the AFP, and other law enforcement authorities, we will not allow you to touch the individuals that I mentioned. Don’t make your lives difficult," he added.
The poll body identified 403 areas of concern ahead of the 2025 polls.
A total of 38 areas were placed under the red category (areas with serious armed threats and a history of election-related incidents), 177 under the orange category (areas with serious armed threats), and 188 under the yellow category (areas with a history of election-related incidents).
Meanwhile, 1,239 areas were categorized as green, indicating no election-related security concerns.
According to Comelec data, 32 of the areas under the red category are in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), while two each are in the Cagayan Valley and the Bicol Region.
Under the orange category, 48 areas are in the Bicol Region, 22 in BARMM, 17 in Caraga, 16 in Central Visayas, 15 in Cagayan Valley, 13 in Eastern Visayas, 12 in Mimaropa, 11 in Soccsksargen, nine in Western Visayas, eight in Northern Mindanao, three in the Zamboanga Peninsula, and one each in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
Most areas under the yellow category are in BARMM with 49, followed by Northern Mindanao (22), Ilocos (19), Zamboanga Peninsula (18), Central Luzon and Eastern Visayas (13 each), Caraga (11), CAR (10), Cagayan Valley (nine), Calabarzon, Western Visayas, and Central Visayas (seven each), Soccsksargen (two), and Mimaropa (one).
