300 areas urged to be under watch

The Commission on Elections said there are 300 places in the country that may be declared as areas of concern in relation to the May 9 elections.
Commissioner George Garcia said the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines have recommended that the areas be declared as areas of concern.
“There are recommendations submitted to us. But there is yet a Comelec resolution formally declaring these as areas of concern,” he said.
Garcia added there is no decision yet declaring the places as areas of concern after Comelec Chair Saidamen Pangarungan directed their personnel to do a final verification of the areas.
“The chair deemed it necessary to order a reverification, not from AFP or PNP, but from our own field personnel,” he said.
“Every day the assessment will have to be changed. The PNP and AFP are recommendatory, but in the end, we will have our own final determination.”
In previous elections, the Comelec classified areas such as yellow category (areas of concern), orange category (areas of immediate concern), red category (areas of grave concern), and areas under Comelec control.  – PNA