In Antique, the president of the Liga ng mga Barangay, Julius Cezar Tajanlangit, has endorsed the classification of Tobias Fornier as an area of concern ahead of the May midterm elections. This decision comes in the wake of local tensions, including a public dispute between Tobias Fornier Mayor Ernesto Tajanlangit III and Vice Mayor Jose Marie Fornier over the distribution of food packs to families affected by El Niño in 2024. Julius Cezar, who is also a provincial board ex-officio member and the mayor’s younger brother, expressed cautious optimism about the political climate in their hometown but emphasized the importance of safety measures. He cited an incident where their family vehicles were allegedly set on fire in their home carpark as a reason for heightened security needs. Tajanlangit called for police reinforcement to ensure a peaceful election and urged residents to comply with the gun ban, promising that his family would adhere to election laws. He encouraged those with unregistered firearms to surrender them to promote a peaceful voting environment. The National Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Center identified Tobias Fornier as an area of concern, and the Provincial Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Center, led by Comelec’s Acting Assistant Regional Director Wil Arceño, will continue monitoring the situation in Antique until after the election period ends on June 11, 2025. Since the election period began on January 12, 2025, no gun ban violations have been reported in the province, despite intensified Comelec checkpoints in 18 of Antique’s municipalities.
