MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to decide soon whether or not to put Daraga town in Albay under its control due poll-related violence, particularly the assassination of Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe December last year.
In a press briefing, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said they expect the seven-man panel to rule on the matter.
“(Daraga) I believe the matter was already...However, no decision has been promulgated yet,” he said.
“We will give you updates on that sooner rather than later,” the poll body official told the media.
Jimenez noted that they are in close coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP) regarding the matter.
“We basically talk to the PNP every day to get updates on what happened the night before. So far, they have not given us any recommendation for the placing under Comelec control,” he said, noting putting an area under the poll body's control "is an extreme remedy."
"So, we rather not place an area under Comelec control if we could avoid it,” Jimenez added.
Meanwhile, Jimenez urged authorities to be vigilant against election-related violence.
“But at the same time, I would like to request that in the face of these incidents of election-related violence, we are asking them to be more vigilant and to please facilitate as much as they can the investigation of these incidents,” he said. (PNA)
