The municipality of Libon in Albay, where a candidate for barangay chairman and a barangay kagawad were killed last August, will be placed under control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) one week before the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

In a radio interview, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia said Sunday Libon will be the second area under its control along with Negros Oriental.

Garcia said the declaration will be officially announced Monday.

He said the decision is based on the recommendation of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the local Comelec offices.

A total of 672,432 seats are being disputed for the October 30 electoral exercise.

More than 1.41 million persons have filed their candidacies, with 828,644 for the barangay council, and 585,843 for Sangguniang Kabataan. DMS