• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
About 7,000 personnel of the Philippine Army, Philippine National Police and Philippine Coast Guard will secure the whole Negros Island Region (NIR) during the May 12 national and local elections, PBrig. Gen. Arnold Thomas Ibay, officer-in-charge of Police Regional Office-NIR, said on Monday, May 5.
Ibay, who led the inauguration and blessing of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) headquarters entrance gate, also confirmed the deployment of about 350 augmentation personnel from Bacolod to Negros Oriental.
All the 25 towns and cities of Negros Oriental have been classified as election areas of concern, with La Libertad and Guihulngan City placed under red category, and 23 other local government units under yellow category.
“We have covered all areas of NIR for deployment (of troops). We are good to go,” Ibay said.
Almost all areas in Negros Occidental and Siqujior are under the green category, which means it has no security-related issues, except for Candoni town, which is under the orange category.
Ibay said the BCPO personnel will stay in Negros Oriental until June 15 this year, three days after the election period ends.
The military, police and Coast Guard personnel will be utilized to secure polling centers, transport of election paraphernalia, road security, and other assignments before and after the elections on May 12. | GB
