ILOILO City – With over 2,800 voting centers to secure across Western Visayas, the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) is deploying more than 1,500 personnel to reinforce election security on May 12, focusing on areas facing manpower gaps such as Iloilo province and Antique.
Police Brigadier General Jack Wanky, PRO-6 regional director, confirmed that 1,528 police officers will be mobilized for augmentation: 1,140 to Iloilo province and 338 to Antique.
The deployment aims to meet the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) guideline of assigning at least two officers per voting center.
“This is a massive requirement for us. We have over 2,800 voting centers in the region, and to meet the ratio, we need more than 5,000 personnel. That’s why we’ve stretched our resources to the limit — even my own security detail has been reassigned,” said Wanky.
He added that provinces like Aklan, Capiz, and Guimaras, and Iloilo City already have sufficient police forces and will not require additional augmentation, allowing resources to be concentrated where needed most.
Despite the large deployment, Wanky assured the public that PRO-6 maintains standby Quick Reaction Forces to respond to emergencies and routine calls for assistance during the election period.
Police personnel will also remain on duty after the polls to escort vote counting machines (VCMs) and assist in transmitting results.
“We will stay committed until the last step of the electoral process is secured,” Wanky emphasized.
The regional director also acknowledged the support of allied forces — including the Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines — in ensuring a peaceful and orderly election.
Encouraging his men to take pride in their service, Wanky said: “Be proud of your role. You are not just guarding ballots—you are helping our people choose their leaders.”
He urged the public to “pray for the safety of our deployed personnel and for our country, that the elections may produce leaders who will serve the nation with integrity.”/PN
