Nearly 9K cops, soldiers to secure Eastern Visayas polls

PALO, Leyte — At least 8,710 policemen and soldiers will secure Monday’s mid-term elections in 3,773 voting centers in the six provinces of Region 8 (Eastern Visayas).

Key officials of two security agencies on Wednesday led the send-off ceremony of 1,380 additional men from the Police Regional Office 8 here and the Philippine Army 8th Infantry Battalion based in Catbalogan City, Samar.

Out of the 8,710 men in uniform on poll duty, 5,832 of them are policemen and 2,878 are from the Armed Forces of the Philippines. They are on duty from May 8 until May 16.

Broken down into provinces, 2,576 of them were deployed to Leyte, 938 to Southern Leyte, 244 to Biliran, 1,935 to Samar, 1,134 to Eastern Samar, 1,509 to Northern Samar, 194 to Ormoc City, and 180 to Tacloban City.

“Primarily, their task is to secure not just the voting center, but the voters and candidates as well. If we can secure them, there will be peace and order and successfully conduct the elections,” Brig. Gen. Ariel Arcinas, PRO-8 deputy director, told reporters.

About 7,330 policemen and soldiers have been assigned to voting centers. They will be augmented by 1,380 policemen from PRO-8, mobile force battalions, regional service unit, and regional training center.

“All temporary assignments have been canceled for one week by the (police’s) regional director and ask them to be on duty in police stations to help ensure peaceful and orderly elections,” Arcinas said.

In a statement, PRO-8 Director, Brig. Gen. Dionardo Carlos, asked policemen to remain non-partisan and not favor any politician and political parties in enforcing election laws.

“The main guidance of our Chief (Gen. Oscar Albayalde) is to remain apolitical and non-partisan. Remember that our primary role in the upcoming elections is to provide strict security so as to deliver a safe, credible and honest election. Let us not forget to conduct ourselves professionally, show competence in our assigned tasks and do what is right at all times,” Carlos said.

The Philippine Army 8th Infantry Division’s Brig. Gen. Eliezer Lozañes said securing elections in the region has been very challenging with the presence of communist rebels, activation of private armies, and intense political rivalries in some areas.

“The task that lies ahead is not easy for Region 8 for it has long been blemished with election hotspots due to the proliferation of guns, goons, and gold nurtured by some politicians. It is more difficult given that the New People’s Army terrorists are expected to make their presence as we approach Election Day,” Lozañes told the augmentation force.

The Commission on Elections and security agencies have identified 11 areas of grave concern this election season due to intense political rivalry and armed threats. Officials refused to name specific towns, but they said most of these areas are in Samar and Northern Samar provinces.