ILOILO City – The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) is ready to secure the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections scheduled on May 14.
Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, PRO-6 spokesman, appealed to the candidates and the electorate to help “keep the elections peaceful and orderly.”
Gorero said they are closely working with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Commission on Elections in averting any election-related violence.
“All (police) unit commanders were directed to submit (to the PRO-6) their list of election watch list areas,” he said.
More than a month before the scheduled elections, the situation in the region appears “normal,” said Gorero.
But he assured that they are not leaving anything to chance – Gorero said their units are making threat and risk assessments of the barangays.
The PRO-6 expressed readiness to protect the voters and the ballots despite the push to suspend the polls.
The House of Representatives has voted to postpone the elections for the third time under the Duterte administration. But so far there was no counterpart vote from the Senate.
“Whether or not the local elections will push through, we are prepared and ready,” said Gorero.
Brigadier General Pio Diñoso, commander of the Philippine Army’s 301st Infantry Brigade, assured the PRO-6 of full support to the latter’s security preparations for the elections.
Diñoso said their soldiers are just awaiting deployment and detail./PN
