BACOLOD City – The Bacolod City Police Office(BCPO) will deploy about 300 security personnel around the city come May 14 synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
BCPO officer-in-charge Senior Superintendent Francisco Ebreo said a minimum of six police personnel will be assigned at voting precincts on election day.
The BCPO will also establish strategic security control points in areas leading to and from the polling centers.
Ebreo said the City Mobile Force Company will serve as the “quick reaction team” in any eventuality. They will be deployed a day before the election day.
The BCPO is conducting security surveys and inspections to determine the needs in voting precincts, like whether or not there are electric generators there, added Ebreo.
He also said there will be 80 BCPO personnel to be assigned in some areas outside the city.
Ebreo assured that his BCPO are nonpartisan.
His personnel were briefed about the limitations of their role in the conduct of elections, stressed Ebreo.
“The police are not allowed to ride a vehicle with the Board of Election inspectors while transporting the paraphernalia,” Ebreo said. “The role of the police is only for security.”
Meanwhile, the city election officer called on voters not to support candidateswho violate the rules set by the Commission on Elections(Comelec) for the election period.
Mavil Majarucon-Sia said this on Tuesday as she revealed that her personnel have noticed scores of election violations in Bacolod, especially the posting of campaign materials.
“They should not vote for candidates who are pasaway,” Majarucon-Sia said.
If these candidates already break rules while still running for public office, “they could even be more pasaway when they are already in power,” she added.
Majarucon-Sia said they cannot “take down campaign posters because we lack manpower.”
City election personnel only “take photos and send them to the Law Department of the Comelec Central Office.” (With a report from PNA/PN)
