ILOILO City – With no major election-related violence reported, the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) hailed its security operations for the 2025 midterm elections as a resounding success, attributing the smooth conduct of polls across Western Visayas to months of rigorous preparation and multi-sectoral coordination.
Police Brigadier General Jack Wanky, PRO-6 director, said the region’s peaceful election atmosphere was the result of early security planning, active intelligence work, and strong cooperation among police units, stakeholders, and local communities.
“We saw it coming. Our preparations were serious and pro-active,” Wanky said in a post-election briefing.
He emphasized that the groundwork for securing the May 12 elections began as early as January 12, before the formal start of the election period.
PRO-6’s preemptive measures included strict enforcement of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gun ban, surveillance and monitoring of potential private armed groups, and intensified community engagement through information drives and volunteer mobilization.
“We were not all alone in this endeavor. We deeply appreciate the support of our stakeholders and the public for making this possible,” Wanky said, underscoring the role of civic participation in achieving a violence-free election day.
Despite the peaceful outcome, Wanky said the police remain on full alert during the post-election period. Police personnel continue to secure the retrieval of election equipment—particularly automated counting machines—and to ensure the uninterrupted transmission of election results.
“We will continue our operational deployments in the region until everything is accounted for,” he stressed, reiterating PRO-6’s commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process through to its final phase./PN
