8,000 cops deployed for polls in Eastern Visayas

CAMP RUPERTO KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte – More than police 8,000 officers have been assigned for election duty in Eastern Visayas.

Police Brig. Gen. Dionardo Bernardo Carlos, Eastern Visayas police director, led the send-off for the contingent here Wednesday.

Carlos said 5,830 officers will be posted at voting centers and 2,795 to other election duties.

The deployment will last until May 16, or could be extended on the recommendation of provincial election supervisors.

Augmenting the police contingent are the 6,000 troops from the Army 8th Infantry Division, Brig. Gen. Eliezer Lozañes Jr., assistant division commander, said.

Carlos reminded the police officers “that our primary role in the upcoming elections is to provide strict security so as to deliver a safe, credible and honest elections.”

His deputy, Gen. Ariel Arcinas, meanwhile, ordered provincial and municipal police chiefs to pull out officers assigned to provide security for politicians.

Carlos appealed to the candidates to keep the election safe and violence-free. “If they resort to violence, we will not hesitate to strike them for their criminal acts and violations of laws,” he said.

Rafael Olaño, Commission on Elections (Comelec) regional director, expressed readiness for the Monday’s elections.

"We have planned this for months, and we are now at the final push, do your best and we will have a successful elections," he said.

Olaño added that the poll body had recommended 11 areas mostly in Northern Samar and Samar to be declared as category red election hotspots.

"We will deploy additional troops in these areas if needed. Our security and civilian components are already prepared for the coming elections, including the ballots and verified counting machines," he said.