The province of Ilocos Norte remains free of active private armed groups, two months before the conduct of national and local elections, the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office said on Monday.

“Residents here continue to enjoy generally peaceful communities with no monitored private armed groups,” Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office (INPPO) director Col. Frederick Obar said in a statement.

Aside from private armed groups, Obar said the province also remains free from threats posed by extortion-related election interferences commonly perpetrated by communist-terrorist groups (CTGs).

“No candidate or political party has been subjected to the coercive ‘permit-to-campaign’ impositions by any terrorist organization, ensuring a level playing field for all electoral candidates,” he said.

Obar said intense security measures, intelligence operations, and community engagement programs are being conducted to maintain the province’s stable internal peace and security.

Part of the latest initiatives include the renewal of oath of allegiance and reorganization of former members of communist groups and front organizations in Badoc, Ilocos Norte under Project KADUA (Kabinulig Dagiti Umili Nga Mangitandudo Iti Urnos Ti Amianan), which means partner of the community for unity in the north.

Since the start of the election period on Jan. 12, no incidents of violence related to the May 12 midterm elections have been reported in the province, according to the Philippine National Police.

Nonetheless, INPPO is urging all candidates, stakeholders, and citizens to work together to uphold peace, transparency, and democratic integrity in the province.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has identified at least 19 areas in the Ilocos Region that are under the yellow category for the May elections due to previous election-related incidents and possible private armed group activity.

These areas include the towns of Currimao, Badoc, Pagudpud, Paoay, Pasuquin, Solsona and the city of Laoag in Ilocos Norte; San Vicente in Ilocos Sur; Agoo, Caba, and Pugo in La Union; and Aguilar, Binmaley, Malasiqui, Mangaldan, Sual, San Quintin, Urdaneta City, and Dagupan City in Pangasinan.

The six areas in Ilocos Norte, however, have formally requested to be downgraded to green category, which indicates no security threats. (PNA)