Region 8 poll body, security agencies step up election day preparations

TACLOBAN CITY, April 27 (PNA) -– The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and security agencies are stepping up preparations for the May 9 elections with just less than two weeks away before the polls.

Comelec Eastern Visayas Regional Director Dennis Ausan said they have just completed all trainings needed for election officers and 17,262 members of the Board of Election Inspectors in the region.

“In our final coordination conference with other agencies last Monday, we’re able to discuss all details and iron out all issues and concerns,” Ausan said.

Next week, the Comelec regional office will start the delivery of 5,754 vote counting machines, ballots, and all accountable forms to the voting centers in preparation for the final testing and sealing.

Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division commander Gen. Jet Velarmino said the region has already finalized all security preparations. “We’re done with all conferences and resolve all concerns related to the conduct of the May 9 elections.”

The Army, according to Velarmino is also coordinating with the Power Task Force Elections to guide them in the deployment of troops for the security of vital power installations in the region.

On the part of the Philippine National Police, Regional Director Chief Supt. Jose Erwin Villacorte said that although there are shooting incidents during election period in Samar province, no single case is confirmed as election-related.

The police has also intensified the implementation of gun ban and running after private armed groups in Samar province.

“We are closely watching private armies because they were involved in intimidating voters in the past elections. On May 9, we want people to be free to choose their preferred candidates,” Villacorte said.

Samar, one of the country’s election hotspots, has 100 private armies thriving in the first legislative district of the province.

Eastern Visayas region has 2,698,880 registered voters with Leyte having the most number of voters among the six provinces at 1,151,497.

The remaining voters are in Samar (490,421), Northern Samar (386,163), Eastern Samar (300,818), Southern Leyte (261,418), and Biliran (108,833).

Voters will troop to polling centers on May 9 to fill in the 1,454 seats being aspired by 3,436 candidates. (PNA)
FFC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO