MANILA – Around 600 cops, including Special Action Force (SAF) troops, will be deployed in 12 barangays in Tubaran, Lanao del Sur for the special elections on Tuesday, Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao said.
In a media briefing at Camp Crame Monday, Danao said aside from SAF, police assigned to guard the polls would also come from the Regional Mobile Force of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR).
"These are from the PNP contingent. All other police forces will come from the local (area)," Danao said.
As part of the security preparations, police officers -- newly graduated ones -- will serve as board of election inspectors.
“Yung mga BEIs po doon (Those police officers that act as BEIs) are new police graduates and they are not from that place. There are 51 of them who are just new graduates from PRO-BAR and they are trained by the Comelec to serve as the BEIs. They will assist the voters to have a secured, accurate and fair elections for Tubaran town,” Danao said.
The Commission on Elections declared a failure of elections in 12 barangays in Tuburan due to security issues. The special election is important as it will have an effect on the candidacy of local bets.
Maj. Gen. Valeriano de Leon, Director for Operations, said police tasked to secure the special polls would use body-worn cameras.
"We want to avoid flying voters, we don't want any violence in the precinct, and we want to accommodate as many registered voters as possible in the area," he said. (PNA)
