BANGUED, Abra (PIA) -- A total of 48 barangays  in the province were recently recommended as election areas of concern by the Abra Provincial Joint Security Control Center (PJSCC) due to election-related violence and intense political rivalry.

Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Mae Richelle Belmes, during the 2nd Coordination Meeting with Election Stakeholders, shared that the Abra Provincial Joint Security Control Center (PJSCC) recommended a list of barangays to be placed under orange and yellow categories  to the Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns (CBSFC).

“We identified these areas based on workshops and recommendation of the MJSCCs. We categorized eight barangays in Bucay under orange category and 40 barangays of 10 municipalities under yellow category,” she bared.

Under PJSCC-Abra Resolution No. 1 s. 2023 dated October 16, 2023, barangays Abang, Bangbangcag, Bugbog, Layugan, North Poblacion, Pagala, South Poblacion, and Tabiog in the municipality of Bucay were recommended to be under the orange category.

Meanwhile, barangays Bañacao, Lingtan, Macarcarmay, Sta. Rosa, Tablac (Calot), and Zone 6 in Bangued; Bangcagan, Banglolao, Calao, Pakiling, Palaquio, Salnec, San Miguel, and Siblong in Bucay; Salucag in Dolores; Dalaguisen in Lagangilang; Subagan in Licuan-Baay; Binasaran, Buanao, Gacab, and Umnap in Malibcong; Dumayco in Peñarrubia; Alinaya, Arab, Garreta, Immuli, Monggoc, Naguirayan, Pamutic, Poblacion East, Poblacion West, San Diego, Sulbec, Suyo, and Yuyeng in Pidigan; Brookside, Nanangduan, Ocup, and Pang-ot in Pilar; and Bagalay in Tayum were endorsed to be under the yellow category.

Belmes also explained that Bucay was not endorsed under the red category despite reports of election-related incidents because of the absence of threat groups like the ISIS or Abu Sayyaf.

“Based on COMELEC Resolution 10924, a red category means that all of the grounds in terms of security threats exist together with the presence of threat groups such as Communist Terrorist Groups, Maute Group, and ISIS,” she said.

Areas in yellow category are those that have a "history of election-related incidents in the last elections, possible employment of partisan armed groups, and the occurrence of politically motivated election-related cases that had been previously declared under the control of the COMELEC.”

Those identified under orange category also have the characteristics of areas under yellow category but with “serious armed threats."

The Provincial Election Supervisor added that there is a pending petition that was earlier submitted to the COMELEC for the declaration of Bucay under COMELEC control.(JDP/JJPM-PIA CAR,Abra)