Police in Western Visayas face a manpower shortage in securing some 6,000 Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines for the May 10 elections.
Regional police spokesman Superintendent Ranulfo Demiar said they have only 7,000 men but the Commission on Elections requires two policemen to secure each PCOS machine.
"We need 5,000 more policemen to meet the requirements of the Comelec," he said in an interview posted on the Visayan Daily Star.
He said they are proposing to Comelec to employ one policeman to secure every PCOS machine in urban centers, and two in rural areas, to meet the requirements.
Also, he said they will maximize the utilization of 6th Regional Public Safety Management Battalion troopers, especially in areas included in election watch lists.
The Comelec had also tasked the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division infantry units deployed in Negros and Panay islands to assist the PNP in the maintenance of peace and order during the election.
Demiar and other Region 6 police officials met Tuesday with representatives of Smartmatic-TIM to discuss security arrangements of their equipment in the region.
The PRO6 also tasked police chiefs of all towns and cities in Western Visayas to lead police operations on the ground for election duties. Police records showed that since January 10, a total of 184 people – including six policemen, four military personnel and six government officials – have been arrested for gun ban violations in Region 6. Demiar said they also seized 153 firearms, 46 bladed weapons and six fragmentation grenades from the arrested violators.
Meanwhile, the Regional Joint Security Control Centers, which composed of military and police personnel and Comelec officials, is now conducting Critical Incident Management Simulation Exercises and operational preparedness drills.
The drills involve hypothetical situations, scenarios and other possible election security concerns and issues.
The RJSCC also focuses its attention on the deployment and retrieval of PCOS machines, ballots and other election materials by the Board of Election Inspectors to and from the polling precincts, warehouses and storage facilities.
Deputy Director General Edgardo Acuña, Task Force HOPE chief, reminded security forces they are prohibited from participating in the physical handling of the PCOS machines and accessories, ballots and other election paraphernalia.
Acuña added that police vehicles are barred from transporting election equipment and paraphernalia. He said policemen will only provide perimeter security in all poling precincts, hubs, sub-hubs, warehouses and storage facilities of election materials and equipment. — LBG/RSJ
Hiligaynon Language / Version: Popular Version / Hiligaynon (sometimes also known as "Ilonggo") is an Austronesian language spoken in Western Visayas in the Philippines.
