• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is utilizing 1,735 personnel for election duties in Negros Occidental for the May 12 national and local elections.
In a press briefing at the Provincial Capitol on Friday (April 25), Capt. Judesses Catalogo, police provincial spokesman, said they are now 100 percent alert, with all vacation leaves of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) personnel cancelled.
However, pregnant policewomen and those with health concerns are exempted from deployment for election duties.
NOCPPO has a manpower strength of more than 2,300 personnel.
Catalogo said that every polling precinct will be secured by two police personnel while the Philippine Army will secure the hinterland areas, which may not be covered by the PNP.
PCol. Joeresty Coronica, director of Bacolod City Police Office, said they will deploy more than 800 policemen during the election day in Bacolod City, with five police officers assigned to each of the 48 voting centers.
Except for Candoni town, the 31 local government units in Negros Occidental, including the highly-urbanized Bacolod City, are under the green category, which indicates no security concerns.
NOCPPO also established a police liaison to candidates that they can immediately contact if there are threats against them, Catalogo said.
Based on the threat assessment, all the 731 candidates in Negros Occidental, excluding Bacolod City, have not complained of receiving any.
Catalogo said the NOCPPO already dismantled some private armed groups in previous years, but the monitoring continues. | GB
