CITY OF MALOLOS — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has monitored a rising show cause order for premature campaigning in Bulacan’s 2023 Barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

This was confirmed by Bulacan’s Election Supervisor Atty. Mona Ann Aldana-Campos.

Campos confided to ARKIPELAGO NEWS BULACAN that more than 500 cases of show cause orders were issued to BSKE candidates in Bulacan and the numbers are still rising as the election campaign period started on October 19.

She added that no barangay in Bulacan has been placed under the Comelec watchlist areas.

On the other hand, the Comelec Central Luzon office has also recorded a rising show cause orders for premature campaigning in the region as of October 20.

Atty. Elmo Duque, assistant regional director and official spokesperson of Comelec Central Luzon, said that as of this writing, no untoward incidents were monitored in the region as the campaign period started.

Duque said their office has recorded a total of 1,101 show cause orders for premature campaigning and three for vote buying as of Friday.

He noted that no decision yet on the disqualification cases has been promulgated by the Comelec en banc.

On the election watchlist areas in the region, Duque said there is only one falling under the Red category that is Barangay San Francisco, Laur, Nueva Ecija due to the recent encounter of the communist group with Armed Forces of the Philippines troopers.

He also pointed out that there are five barangays falling under the Orange Category in Central Luzon, 41 under Yellow and 3,058 under Green.

Orange Category means the area falls under the criteria of places of immediate concern, Yellow is considered areas of concern and Green are areas considered generally peaceful for the conduct of elections.

Photo: COMELEC