NCRPO, Comelec: All systems go for polls

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said yesterday that they are prepared for elections on Monday after 7,555 precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines and 6.13 million ballots were delivered to 743 polling precincts in the metropolis.

“There are no hitches in the delivery of the PCOS machines and ballots. And together with the Comelec, we can say that it’s all systems go as far as the election on Monday is concerned,” said NCRPO chief Director Roberto Rosales.

Comelec-National Capital Region’s Michael Dioneda assured the public the compact flash cards would be installed in the PCOS machines by today.

The NCRPO and the Comelec see no problems as their forces are all in place and that 100 percent of the election paraphernalia have already been delivered to the 16 cities and a municipality in Metro Manila.

“We are now in the process of fine-tuning our security preparations so we could deal with all problems that may arise during the conduct of the May 10 elections,” said Rosales in an interview.

Reports reaching Rosales showed that San Juan received 106 PCOS machines; Pateros, 46; Quezon City, 1,281; Manila, 1,441; Mandaluyong, 250; Marikina, 277; Pasig, 422; Valenzuela, 296; Caloocan, 791; Malabon, 228; Navotas, 168; Las Piñas, 354; Makati, 483; Muntinlupa, 329; Parañaque, 340; Pasay, 370; and Taguig, 373.

Rosales said the delivery of the PCOS machines went smoothly, with no untoward incident reported as of 2:30 p.m. yesterday.

Personnel from the NCRPO and the National Capital Region Command (NCRCom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) under Admiral Feliciano Angue secured the hundreds of trucks hired to deliver the PCOS machines to their destinations.

Rosales also clarified yesterday that the NCRPO’s evaluation did not include Quezon City as an election hot spot in Metro Manila. He said only the cities of Makati, Manila, Caloocan, Pasay and Taguig are under close watch by the NCRPO because of intense political rivalries among local candidates.

QC to deploy 2,500 cops

Meanwhile, newly installed Quezon City Police District director Chief Superintendent Benjardi Mantele said yesterday that 2,500 Quezon City policemen will be deployed at all polling centers in the city on Monday.

An additional 176 personnel of the NCRCom will beef up the police force as part of the Joint Security Coordinating Center security measures.

The policemen and soldiers will be deployed 50 meters from the city’s 172 polling centers.

Around 300 members of non-government organizations and civilian volunteer organizations will help maintain peace and order during the elections.

“We have already mapped out our security deployment and security contingency plans before and during the election day and even after. Of course, this is always in coordination with the Comelec and other stakeholders,” Mantele said.

MPD ready  for polls

Manila Police District (MPD) director Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay gave his final briefing yesterday, saying the plan to secure voters at 1,441 clustered precincts in the city is ready for implementation.

According to Magtibay, the MPD will be augmented by 200 NCRPO personnel and another 200 soldiers from the NCRCom.

He said the Joint Security Assistance Desks, manned by policemen and soldiers, have been set up at the 96 voting centers since Monday to secure the PCOS machines from saboteurs.

Magtibay said checkpoints have been set up to implement the nationwide firearms ban.  – With Jose Rodel Clapano, Jerry Botial, Nestor Etolle