The Philippine National Police (PNP) are on the ready for any violent-related incident arising from the takeover and or re-assumption to office in at least three “volatile” Bohol municipalities. Chief Supt. Rodulfo Llorca, PNP provincial director, identified the three “areas of concern” as Candijay, Buenavista and Carmen. Incumbent Mayor Sergio Amora, Jr. of Candijay was disqualified from his reelection bid but went on to win the mayoralty against newcomer Trygev Olaivar. What made the Candijay situation tense was the recent killing of a barangay captain and a habal-habal driver. Both killins were election-related. According to reports, both sides of the political spectrum were said to be massing their own followers in a show of people power. Although Supt. Llorca refused to confirm what seemed to be a “state of war” in Candijay, reports reaching the Post indicated that the peace situation was indeed shaky arising from the heavy concentration of troop movements in the area.

The presence of a platoon of troops belonging to the Regional Mobile Group( RMG) and a sprinkling of special forces from the Philippine Army made the situation more tense. The turnover of command bears watching on June 30 as both warring parties are raring for a showdown. Mayor Amora is slated to reassume his post as mayor although a disqualification case is hanging over his head. The best that can happen if only to avoid any violence is for Mayor Amora to relinquish his post to the vice mayor who is his own brother Rey Amora. The camp of Olaivar is armed with a writ of execution from the Comelec en banc which disqualified Amora. Olaivar contended that with Amora's disqualification, the Candijay election was conducted as if he had no opponent because his main rival was disqualified. But if indeed he was right in his interpretation of the Comelec ruling, he cannot just take over the mayoralty because Mayor Amora has filed a motion for reconsideration before the Supreme Court. The MR is yet to be dispatched with finality by the High Court. Meanwhile, while awaiting for the SC final ruling,. Olaivar also filed another petition annulling the proclamation of Amora. It is still pending resolution by the Comelec.

CARMEN SITUATION

The Carmen situation is just as tense as the turnover of the mayoralty draws near. According to Supt. Llorca, Mayor Manuel Molina sought for an “extention” of his term pending final resolution of his disqualification petition before the Comelec en banc. The Comelec already ruled that mayoralty candidate Conchita Toribio de los Reyes was disqualified for lack of residence but the same is still pending final decision. Meanwhile, del los Reyes is poised to assume her new post on June 30 with the PNP in tight watch for any violence that may arise in the takeover. Molina, a reelectionist lost to de los Reyes in a tight contest despite an earlier disqualification of his lady rival.

In Buenavista, Mayor Elsa Tirol who lost in her reelection bid to Robert Celocia promised to Supt. Llorca for a smooth turnover. The Buenavista election was another heated contest after the incumbent's opponent was disqualified owing to residency problem. Celocia, however, beat the incumbent, with the new mayor poised to assume office. Whether he was prepared to assume office was not known but in case he is barred from doing so on account of his disqualification, the one who will assume the mayoralty is V-Mayor Ronald Louell Tirol, the defeated mayor's son.