By Edwin Fernandez/PNA
COTABATO CITY — The Philippine National Police is all set to secure Monday’s plebiscite here and in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, police officials said Friday.
Senior Supt. Michael Lebanan, acting city police director, said voters should have nothing to worry about as enough number of police officers have been deployed to the city and its environs. “We are 100 percent ready,” Lebanan said.
He said the city police is backed by members of the Philippine Army’s Special Forces Battalion plus additional personnel from Police Regional Offices 10 (Northern Mindanao) and 13 (Caraga) to secure all entry and exit points of the city in time for the January 21 plebiscite here.
The police official said he has also urged city residents to alert the police of any suspicious individual, group or thing that may endanger the lives of city residents.
In a similar development, Chief Supt. Graciano Mijares, police director for the ARMM, also said that everything is in place to ensure that Monday’s referendum would be peaceful and orderly in their jurisdiction.
PRO-ARMM covers the cities of Marawi and Lamitan, and the provinces of Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan, and Lanao del Sur.
In a statement, Mijares said all police units in the region are in their respective areas of assignment in preparation for the upcoming plebiscite.
