SAN JOSE, Antique – Sixty police officers were temporarily relieved from their assignments in 18 towns in the province for being related to candidates in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
Antique Provincial Police Office (APPO) deputy director for operations Superintendent Norby Escobar said the order, which took effect May 7, is one way to ensure a “safe, fair and orderly elections.”
“The police personnel, however, were just transferred to adjacent municipalities and would be returned to their original assignments after the elections,” Escobar stressed.
The order will only be until May 21 – the end of the election period – he added.
Meanwhile, Escobar said so far, they have recorded no election-related incidents in the province.
The APPO has not also received complaints about solicitation letters or permit to win/campaign from the New People’s Army.
“We also have not received complaints about vote-buying activities,” Escobar added.
The APPO will deploy 500 to 600 personnel on May 14, the election day. APPO personnel will be augmented by forces from the Police Regional Office 6.
“We will have more than enough police personnel to cover the voting centers,” Escobar said.
The APPO will also set up police assistance desks 50 meters away from the schools that would be used as voting centers.
“There will be a minimum of two police personnel who will be assigned in each police assistance desk,” said Escobar. (With a report from PNA/PN)
