ILOILO City — Despite rumors of a possible postponement, the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) has begun laying the groundwork for Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan election (BSKE) security operations across Western Visayas, with its regional chief saying the police cannot afford to wait for official confirmation before preparing.
PRO-6 director Police Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño said the regional police has already coordinated with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) despite reports of the election being moved to 2028 from November 2026.
“The PRO-6 is ready should an election take place,” Tuaño added.
Tuaño stressed that early planning would allow police units across the region to immediately respond to security requirements once an official election timetable is established.
“We cannot wait for the confirmation before we prepare. Whether the election pushes through or not, our responsibility is to be ready,” Tuaño said.
As PRO-6 gears up for possible election-related operations, Tuaño also ruled out any immediate reshuffling of police chiefs and commanders across Western Visayas.
He said the performance of existing commanders does not warrant personnel movements, noting that changes made since he assumed office were prompted by promotions or specific administrative circumstances.
“None. If you have noticed, since I assumed office, the only reshuffling we have done was because someone was promoted to a higher position, someone was promoted in rank, or there was an administrative relief following a prisoner escape. Those are the only reshuffling instances that I can recall,” Tuaño said.
“As far as the performance of our chiefs of police and commanders is concerned, there is no pending reshuffling,” he added.
The PRO-6 chief said personnel movements should be dictated by operational requirements and performance rather than undertaken simply as a matter of routine.
“For now, there is no pending reshuffling. We are continuously evaluating the performance of our chiefs of police and commanders. If they are performing well, there is no reason to move them,” he said.
Changes in assignments, however, could still be made when warranted by promotions, administrative concerns or other operational requirements.
Maintaining stability in police leadership is particularly important as PRO-6 prepares for possible election-related security operations, Tuaño said.
Restrictions on the movement and reassignment of police personnel are also expected once the formal election period begins.
Western Visayas police units have traditionally mounted extensive security operations during national and local elections, including the deployment of personnel to polling places, transport terminals and other critical areas./PN
