READY FOR POLL DUTY. Members of the Philippine Army’s 91st Infantry (Sinagtala) Battalion and the Aurora Police Provincial Office (APPO) were deployed to various strategic areas in Aurora to ensure peace and orderly elections on Monday. (File photo courtesy of the Aurora Police Provincial Office)
BALER, Aurora – The Philippine Army’s 91st Infantry (Sinagtala) Battalion and the Aurora Police Provincial Office (APPO) assured that they are ready to secure Monday's mid-term elections.
Lt. Col. Jose Mari F. Torrenueva II, Sinagtala commanding officer and Police Col. Cosme Abrenica, (APPO) director, said in separate phone interviews on Saturday that security measures are now in place to ensure safe, peaceful, and orderly polls.
Torrenueva said some 400 troops were already deployed with augmentation from Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) unit in strategic areas in the province to thwart any possible election violence.
“Troops have already been deployed in strategic areas to avoid election-related violence. In close coordination with the Philippine National Police and the Commission on Elections, our troops are committed in their role to make the election peaceful and orderly,” he said.
He said soldiers have been assisting the police in securing the delivery of vote counting machines, official ballot boxes and other election materials to 39 voting centers in 10 municipalities under their battalion.
Abrenica, on the other hand, said some 731 police personnel were deployed in the province.
Out of the total deployed police personnel, he said 280 of them were assigned in the different voting centers here.
He said agencies involved in security will also prioritize the protection of teachers, watchers, non-government organizations (NGOs), media practitioners and other election workers who will look over the conduct of the elections.
The two officials said they see a peaceful conduct of polls as there is neither an election hotspot nor a watchlisted area in the province. (PNA)
