The provincial government of Ilocos Norte has set a curfew throughout the province to thwart Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE)-related violence.
Under Executive Order (EO) No. 244-23 dated Oct. 28 but posted only on Oct. 29, Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc stated that the curfew will start at 10 PM on Oct. 29 and end at 4:00 AM on Oct 30.
Exempted from the curfew are COMELEC-authorized personnel; health workers and hospital personnel in both private and public; government officials; law enforcers; private individuals traveling in an emergency; and essential establishments that ordinarily operate overnight.
According to Manotoc, the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office earlier received reports about the “actual physical violence and reported armed groups in various areas in relation to the upcoming” BSKE 2023.
“These matters should be taken seriously because the circumstance, if not addressed properly and on time, may disrupt major activities in the election,” he said.
The Ilocos Norte governor said the curfew also aims to strengthen the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) campaign against vote-buying and vote-selling, and support to its liquor ban enforcement.
“In the exigency of the situation, there is a need to intensify the anti-criminality efforts in support to the PNP’s and COMELEC’s efforts to weed out elements and to preserve the peace and protect the lives and liberty of the peace-loving people of Ilocos Norte even only during the remaining hours before the elections,” he furthered.
