Security in place for local polls today

THE police and military in Davao have mapped out and put in place its security measures to ensure peaceful and orderly Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) today, May 14.

Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) public information officer Major Ezra Balagtey said

there are 8,500 troops currently deployed in Eastern Mindanao.

"These troops would support the Comprehensive and Integrated Security Plan being implemented by Commission on Elections (Comelec) with police and military joint security coordinating committee in different regions," Balagtey said.

Balagtey said additional troops were also organized and placed on standby to form part of the regional, provincial and municipal rapid Deployable Force and Quick Reaction Teams (DFQRT).

He added that the armed forces transport equipment within Eastmincom control such as floating and flying assets are on alert status and will be deployed, if necessary upon Comelec order.

The Election Monitoring Action Centers (Emac) at all levels of command were also established as part of the security mechanism being implemented, Balagtey said, adding that its Emac is inter-connected with the Comelec and police’s.

"With close coordination with the police and Comelec, the Eastmincom can assure the public that their command will be working for the safe and secure conduct of the BSKE2018," he said.

Balagtey said the Eastmincom is requesting the cooperation of all stakeholders in Eastern Mindanao in the election so that everyone will be allowed to exercise their freedom to elect their community leaders without force and coercion.

Police Regional Office (PRO)–Davao Region spokesperson Chief Inspector Milgrace Driz, on the part of the police, said the region will deploy more than 2,000 personnel to ensure a peaceful and orderly election, which will happen today.

Driz said among the directives from higher office is to intensify the campaign against loose firearms and dismantling of the private armed groups, if evidence warrants, and the stricter implementation of the