PRO-7 now on full alert

CEBU, Philippines —  Starting today, the Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 will be on full alert in time for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on October 30, 2023.

On the other hand, PRO-7 officials said that based on their early monitoring, they have not tracked suspicious activities and they expect a peaceful and smooth elections.

Police Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 regional director Brigadier General Anthony Aberin, said that since August, they have been preparing for the BSKE and based on their intelligence monitoring, they are not seeing any possible disturbance.

But Pelare assured that if there are any security concerns, they are ready to respond and take appropriate measures to keep the election safe and orderly.

“The assurance of PRO-7 to the public is we have strategized the deployment. Wala lang ta nagtan-aw sa Barangay ug SK Election, wala sad nato biya-e atong ordinary ug usual police function, ang atong police function magpabiling aktibo, naay mga tawo nga na-assign para mo responde sa mga non-related election responses," said Lt. Col. Pelare.

Pelare added that the police personnel who were augmented to help guard the elections in different areas in Central Visayas have already arrived in their respective assignments.

Meanwhile, Pelare said Barangay Cansomoroy in Balamban is an 'election area of concern.'  He said when a candidate for the position of barangay captain was shot dead last Oct 5, they sent a request to the Regional Joint Security Coordinating Center to declare the barangay under election area of concern.

"The Police Regional Office-7 has a committee to determine if it is an election-related incident, it was seen in the investigation and the recommendation that was given that it is possible to escalate that incident, that's why we put it as proactive measure as an election-related incident," said Pelare.

GUN BAN

PRO-7 will continue to conduct aggressive police operations against groups involved in the recent shooting incidents in the region to ensure they don't disrupt the BSKE and All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

In the Province of Bohol, two groups were recently caught in a buy-bust operation by police where illegal drugs and weapons with different calibers were discovered. The groups were allegedly involved in the shootings in Bohol.

According Pelare, their aggressive police operations are not limited to Cebu and Bohol, but other areas in Central Visayas.

“I would like to emphasize that the instruction of our Regional Director Police Brigadier General Anthony Aberin nga tanang units gukdon gyud ang mga personalities nga would have the probability nga ma-involve aning shooting incidents diri sa Central Visayas," said Pelare. (CEBU NEWS)