• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade is mobilizing at least 1,045 soldiers and paramilitary troops to secure the May 12 national and local elections in Negros Occidental, its commander Brig. Gen. Ted Dumosmog said on Thursday, Feb. 13.
Dumosmog, who supervises three Army battalions in Negros Occidental, assured the public that his troops will secure the candidates, the electorate and the poll workers.
He acknowledged that there might be threats from remnants of the New People’s Army (NPA), but he dismissed it as insignificant.
The NPA earlier claimed responsibility for the burning of heavy equipment used in the construction of a farm-to-market road in La Libertad, Negros Oriental.
On Thursday, an encounter between 79th Infantry Battalion soldiers and rebel remnants took place in the hinterlands of Cadiz City.
“We will continue to track down those who will disrupt the elections,” Dumosmog said.
PCol. Rainerio de Chavez, police provincial director of Negros Occidental, said they are continuing the conduct of risk assessment among the more than 700 local candidates in the province.
As far as the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office is concerned, the province remains under “green category” or areas with no election-related security concerns, he added.
The Provincial Joint Security Coordinating Center, composed of the Commission on Elections, Philippine Army, Philippine National Police and Philippine Coast Guard, will hold a meeting on Feb. 18 to discuss election-related security issues, validation of possible election areas of concerns, among other topics.
On Thursday, the peace covenant signing held at Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in Bacolod City was attended by 13 candidates.
Congressional aspirants present were Rep. Emilio Bernardino Yulo III, fifth district; Lea Delfinado, fourth district; Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez, third district.
Others included gubernatorial candidate Ferdenand Diego, vice gubernatorial candidate Rosemarie Dreyfus, Salvador Benedicto Vice Mayor Nehemiah Joe Dela Cruz, board member Sixto Guanzon Jr., board member aspirants Arthur Christopher Marañon, Hope Mary Depasucat Sazon, Leo Carlo Delfinado, Patricia Paula Valderrama, Aly Tongson Jr. and Nicholas Yulo. | GB
