00:00Comelec, there are changes in areas of concern due to the upcoming election-related incidents.
00:07Including the shooting of a Vice Mayor in Maguindanao del Sur last Monday while the official was having a party.
00:15Luisa Erispe is live in the center of the news.
00:20Angelique, the number of election-related incidents in the country is increasing.
00:25That's why the Commission on Elections sees that the red categories in areas of concern are increasing.
00:35Vice Mayor Omar Samama was shot in front of the public in Datupiang, Maguindanao del Sur.
00:43While he was giving his speech in the evacuation center, he was hit by a bullet in his spine.
00:50Even though he was not shot, he was immediately taken to the hospital.
00:54The Commission on Elections said that even though the campaign for midterm elections has not yet started,
01:01it is clear that there is an election-related incident.
01:05That's why they are investigating the incident in the PNP.
01:10The PNP sent us the initial investigation report and they have already arrested the suspects.
01:19We are thankful that the Vice Mayor is still alive.
01:27According to the PNP, it is possible that the Vice Mayor was shot by an armed group.
01:33Both of them were injured by an engineer in Cotabato City.
01:37PNP-PIO Chief Police Colonel Randolph Tuanyo said that the PNP has already made security adjustments in two places
01:46and that their intelligence gathering has already started.
01:52It cannot be declared as political because if it is political, it will require revalidations.
01:58The Regional Joint Security Control Center will decide if this is an election-related incident or not.
02:06They are targeting armed groups.
02:10But Comelec admitted that the election-related violence has increased after the campaign started.
02:16That's why it is possible for them to add more places in the red category in areas of concern.
02:21Most of them are in Maguindanao and Cotabato City.
02:27We noticed that there was a spike of violence in the orange category areas.
02:34The spike of violence is not that high.
02:38But it seems that our security forces need to add more people.
02:44Currently, there are 38 people in the red category, 177 in the orange category, and 188 in the yellow category in areas of concern.
02:53Comelec is warning that they should not reach Comelec Control like what happened in BSKE.
03:04They should not reach Comelec Control.
03:07If they reach Comelec Control, the decision, especially in the LGU, should come from Comelec.
03:13Angelique Buca is hoping that Comelec will help the PNP
03:17to discuss the adjustments in areas of concern for the election.
03:23Comelec said that if there is an increase in the red category,
03:26it is also possible that there will be a decrease and a shift to the orange or yellow category
03:31because there are areas in the red category that are now quiet like in the province of Sulu.
03:37Meanwhile, Angelique, we just received news from Comelec that they have received a second petition
03:44for a disqualification case against Senator Erwin Tulfo.
03:51This is the second petition.
03:53The first one is expected to be directed to Comelec Anbanc today.
03:57Angelique?
03:58Okay, so Louisa, if it is put in the red category,
04:03is it also possible, what is needed to say that they will suspend or not continue the election in that area?
04:15Angelique, it is very dangerous not to continue the election in a place.
04:22What is being discussed is that if a place is put in the red category,
04:26it will only increase the police visibility and also our soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
04:34After the red category, we will talk about putting it in the Comelec control.
04:39As for the Comelec control, Comelec will decide and also the LGU fund
04:44if this place will be put in the Comelec control.
04:48But what Comelec is saying is that the election will not be suspended
04:53because this is against the law and the Comelec mandate that whatever happens, our countrymen will be able to vote.
05:00Angelique?
05:01Okay, it's clear. Thank you very much, Louisa Erispe.
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