Tacloban City - The Commission on Elections in Eastern Visayas is not in a hurry to place the entire province of Samar under its control or declare it as an "area of concern" despite the successive killing incidents there.
However, Samar Rep. Catalino Figueroa (2nd District) said he would meet with Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos anytime this week to discuss with him what possible actions could be taken amid the incidents that already resulted in the death of several people, including Daram Mayor Benito Astorga.
Lawyer Adolfo Ibanez, polls regional director, said that while the situation there in Samar is a cause for alarm, the series of killings have yet to be established if these were politically-related, a ground for the body to put it under its control or supervision.
"We only place can area under our direct control or supervision or declare it as an area of concern if the situation could adversely affect the conduct of the elections or there is really too much tension related to elections." Ibañes told Leyte Samar Daily Express.
During the 2004 elections, Catbalogan together with 18 other towns in the province were identified as "areas of concern" due to the tensions arising from politics and the killing of Taranganan Mayor Aniceto Olaje and abduction of Jiabong Mayor Chanita Gabieta by the New People's Army.
Since this month, five high-profile killing incidents took place in different parts of Samar, with Mayor Bernito Astorga, 47, of Daram town as among the victims.
The New People's Army operating in the province had owned the killing of the mayor that took place while he was attending a benefit dance in Barangay Birawan last January 25.
Last Monday, a member of militant group Bayan Muna, Dominador De Luna, 50, was gunned down in Del Rosario Street in Catbalogan by two motorcle-riding armed men. His wife, Conception, is the coordinator of Bayan Muna and is a provincial board member.
On Jan.17, Augusto Daclitan, 53, a former member of the New People's Army and provincial coordinator of anti-communism group Alliance of Nationalism and Democracy was gunned down also in Catbalogan. And two days later, a "military asset" Afonso Sabillo, 48 was also killed.
A village chieftain, Bedasto Gabiana, in his 50s, was gunned down inside his "sari-sari" store in Barangay Calapi of Jiabong town, also in Samar.
Director Ibanez said that the he urged the police authorities in Samar, under the leadership of Sr. Supt. Asdali Abah, and the Philippine Army, under Maj. Gen. Rodrigo Maclang, commanding general of the 8th Infantry Division, based in Catbalogan, to find solutions to these series of killings in the province.
Abah, reached on his mobile phone, said that they are doing their best to stop the killing incidents in the province as he assured that the situation there remains "generally peaceful."
"That is why, I support the decision of the Comelec regional director not to place the province or any of it under its control or supervision. The people can be assured that we are doing our best to solve the crimes, "Abah said.
But Rep. Catalino Figueroa said that he would meet with Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos to discuss with him what possible moves could be considered amid the killings that took place in the province.
"I might just ask him to place the province or some of its areas there under its control and supervision. This would somehow lessen or solve killings there and give our people peace of mind and a feeling of security," Figueroa told Express.
