BCPO chief to attend command conference for 2019 polls

BACOLOD City Police Office (BCPO) Acting Director Police Colonel Henry Biñas will attend a command conference at the Police Regional Office-6 in Iloilo City today to present its security preparation for May 13 elections.

Biñas said yesterday that he will attend a command conference along with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“We will present our security preparations for May elections to ensure a peaceful elections here,” he said.

He added that they are in full alert status and several policemen were deployed in various areas.

Biñas noted that some BCPO personnel will also be deployed to Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) during elections.

BCPO was also tasked to secure the vote-counting machines (VCM) that are scheduled to arrive in Bacolod next week.

Biñas said Comelec is scheduled to hold the testing and sealing of VCM next week.

“It’s part of our responsibility to secure the VCM. We will wait for the final instruction from the Comelec,” he said.

Comelec official earlier said that Bacolod is still under “code green” for the midterm polls in May.

Acting Bacolod election registrar Ann Janette Lamban earlier said no area in Bacolod has been identified as prone to election-related violence for May 13 elections.

Green in the watchlist means the area is not a security concern and the area is relatively peaceful and orderly.