THE Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has issued the official classification of Cordillera local governments for the May 9 national and local elections, rating areas by risk of political rivalry and violence.
Under the rating system, areas are rated green, yellow, orange and red, which indicate the amount of political disorder, rivalry, and violence that the area in question has seen. Red is the highest risk for political and election related violence and the presence of armed groups, while green indicates generally peaceful and orderly election conduct.
Kalinga had the highest number of areas under the red category namely Tabuk City, Rizal, Pinukpuk, Pasil, Lubuagan, Balbalan and Tinglayan, while Tanudan was placed under the yellow category.
In Mountain Province, Besao and Sagada were placed under the orange category, while the remaining municipalities of Bauko, Tadian, Sabangan, Bontoc, Sadanga, Barlig, Natonin and Paracelis are under the green category.
Abra has under the yellow category the towns of Bangued, Dolores, Penarrubia, Pidigan, Tayum, Pilar, San Juan, Lagayan and Tineg, while the remaining 18 municipalities in the province have been categorized to be green areas.
Conner in Apayao has been listed in the yellow category, while the six other municipalities Calanasan, Kabugao, Luna, Pudtol, Flora and Sta. Marcela are all green.
Baguio City and all the 13 towns of Benguet and the 11 municipalities of Ifugao have all been placed under the green category.
Abra and some parts of Kalinga had been classified to be areas of immediate concern in past elections owing to high incidence of election violence, intense rivalries, and private armed groups.
