No election 'concern areas' in Ilocos Norte, police chief says

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte — Police Colonel Frederick E. Obar, provincial director of the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office, clarified that Ilocos Norte has no areas of concern for the upcoming elections, as officially assessed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

In an exclusive interview on Thursday, April 24, with Daily Tribune, Colonel Obar issued the statement in response to circulating misinformation on social media falsely claiming the presence of election “hotspots” in the province.

“In this digital age, madaling magpakalat ng pekeng balita which in turn will cause panic,” he said. “There is no intense political rivalry here in Ilocos Norte. That’s why, contrary to the misinformation being spread, we have no identified areas of concern in the province.”

In election-related security planning, “areas of concern” refer to places flagged by Comelec, PNP, and AFP due to threats of election-related violence, the presence of private armed groups, history of violent incidents, or extreme political tension. These are often classified under four color-coded categories: Green (peaceful), Yellow (some concern), Orange (presence of armed threat), and Red (critical concern or possible failure of elections).

According to Colonel Obar, Ilocos Norte remains under the Green category, with no recent records of politically motivated violence or destabilizing rivalry.

The provincial police chief also emphasized that the public must remain vigilant against fake news and politically motivated disinformation, particularly online, which could undermine public confidence and disrupt peaceful electoral preparations.

“We continue to coordinate closely with COMELEC and AFP to ensure safe, honest, and orderly elections in all municipalities and cities of Ilocos Norte,” he added.

Authorities urge the public to verify information through official government sources and report any suspicious content or activities that may incite unrest or confusion.