Cagayan Valley towns in poll violence watchlist

Several towns in Cagayan Valley are on the police watchlist for possible eruption of election-related violence, local authorities said recently. In a joint meeting with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday, February 2, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said the areas were included in the list based on incidents of violence in past elections. The regional police told Rappler later on that the towns are in two provinces: Isabela and Cagayan. The 3 other provinces – Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, and Batanes – are generally peaceful during elections, said PNP-Cagayan Valley spokesperson Chevalier Iringan. This is not the first time Cagayan province is getting featured for election-related violence.  In the 2013 elections, Cagayan province was also an election hot spot.  In 2014 and 2015 elections, a spate of killings was reported in Tuguegarao City, the  provincial capital.

Cagayan Valley towns being watched for poll violence – PNP