NEGROS ORIENTAL: A candidate for barangay chair in the town of San Jose is facing the prospect of disqualification in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) scheduled for October 30. This marks the first such case in the province of Negros Oriental.
According to a new release by Philippines News Agency, details about the candidate and the pending disqualification case remain confidential to avoid compromising the ongoing investigation by the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Labaria stated that a Comelec notice of suspension of proclamation for candidates with pending disqualification cases was served to the board of canvassers and the concerned candidate in San Jose. Although the candidate is allowed to participate in Monday’s elections, a proclamation of victory could be withheld until the Comelec makes a final decision on the disqualification case.
Regarding the issue of a potential vacuum in leadership should the candidate win but not be proclaimed, Labaria mentioned that such matters would be determined by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
In related developments, Labaria led the send-off ceremony for nearly 3,000 security personnel tasked with election duties, starting Saturday. The ceremony took place at the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) in Barangay Agan-an, Sibulan town. The security contingent includes 1,604 members of the Philippine National Police, 1,106 from the Philippine Army, 215 from the Bureau of Fire Protection, and 32 from the Coast Guard, totaling 2,957 personnel. Lt. Stephen Polinar, deputy chief of the NOPPO Police Community Affairs and Development Unit, noted that these security forces have been assigned to various tasks including manning voting centers, assisting at checkpoints, and other election-related duties.
Furthermore, Labaria announced the implementation of a curfew from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday across the entire province of Negros Oriental. The curfew aims to prevent vote-buying and potential election-related violence. The province has been placed under Comelec control following a public hearing, which was held in the aftermath of the March 4 assassination of Governor Roel Degamo.