100 Army personnel deployed to Biliran for poll security

MANILA, Philippines - The military has deployed 100 additional soldiers to Biliran to secure the elections in the province, which is believed to be facing threats from private armed groups.

Soldiers from the Philippine Army's 19th Infantry Battalion based in Kananga, Leyte were tasked to support the police personnel in law enforcement operations.

The soldiers were sent off in a ceremony held at the Philippine Ports Authority in Naval, Biliran Thursday morning.

The activity is in line with the Secure and Fare Elections (SAFE) 2013 program of the security forces and the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Lt. Col. Joel Nacnac, commander of the Army’s 19th battalion, said the deployment was a “proactive” measure against any unforeseen event.

“[The deployment] may look awkward to the public, considering that the province of Biliran had been declared as insurgency-free on 2006,” Nanac said.

“But the beefing up of the current number of security forces in the area is only to ensure unhampered conduct of election and that the public is never deprived of their right to suffrage,” he added.

Col. Rafael  Valencia, chief of the Army’s 802nd brigade, reminded the soldiers to remain apolitical during the elections.

Under the Constitution, soldiers are barred from engaging in partisan politics.

The soldiers and the policemen are now conducting checkpoints in areas considered as election hot spots to thwart any poll-related violence. They will also secure polling places until the counting machines are turned over to the Comelec. – Bjorn Beltran