PRO-7 conducts election workshop

CEBU, Philippines - The Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 conducted an Election Security Workshop which is aimed at coming up with a standard procedure that ground commanders can use in handling scenarios and issues during the elections.

Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo Jr., PRO-7 director, said the workshop will make the police, the military and other stake holders more confident in performing their respective jobs.

This will also promote unity and proper coordination.“This is a way of showing the community that we will be strict in performing our responsibilities and assertive in doing our jobs,” Garbo said.

Also tackled during the workshop was the policy of “no guns and no goons” for politicians.

Garbo directed all ground commanders to go after local candidates who have security details without Comelec approval and file appropriate charges against them.

“I know a lot of local candidates will be violating it but we will do our part,” he said.

The same workshop will be made in Negros Oriental on Thursday and in Bohol on Friday together with the opening of the Special Weapons and Tactics inter-unit competition.

Meanwhile, Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) director Patrocinio Comendador revealed that the start of the campaign period did not affect the peace and order situation in Cebu Province.

However, police are monitoring rallies, especially in the mid-north area which includes Bogo City because of the intense political rivalry between incumbent congressman Benhur Salimbangon and former Bogo Mayor Celestino “Tining” Martinez III.

Among the factors to consider in putting an area under election watchlist are past election experience, presence of private armed groups and presence of communist groups.

Comendador said he directed his personnel to monitor their areas of responsibility of rallies, caravans and other political activities in order to prevent untoward incidents from happening.

Comendador has assured that CPPO has enough deployment force and ready is ready to send additional personnel if the towns would need augmentation teams. — (FREEMAN)