PNP-8 deploys 121 cops for election duties

PALO, Leyte, May 4 (PNA) –- The Philippine National Police (PNP) regional office here has deployed on Tuesday 121 cops to augment the security in areas of concern in the region on election day.

Deployed personnel are tasked to safeguard the transport of election paraphernalia from its arrival in different towns down to the polling centers.

They will be on full alert status and on 24-hour duty to make sure the election process will be peaceful and safe, said Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Jose Erwin Villacorte in a statement.

These policemen from the regional headquarters and regional support units attended a briefing with election officials prior to their deployment Saturday afternoon.

They took an oath of non-partisanship prior to the deployment. It is a pledge not to engage in any partisan political activity during the election period.

“The policemen pledge to be free from any party affiliation or exhibit any bias to any group, party or cause and to uphold the will of the electorate by protecting and maintaining the integrity of the ballot and the credibility of the elections,” Villacorte added.

Of the 121 policemen, 65 was assigned in Samar, 29 in Leyte, and 27 in Northern Samar. Police provincial directors are expected to give these augmentation force specific assignments until May 11 or two days after elections.

Each police officer got a PHP1,000 meal allowance for an eight-day election duty, according to police regional office spokesman Chief Insp. Ma. Bella Rentuaya

“About 80 percent of our policemen detailed at the regional headquarters has been deployed in provinces to help the local police in securing polling places,” she said.

The remaining 20 percent of personnel will stay at the regional office to coordinate security efforts and monitor peace and order situation.

The new deployment is on top of the hundreds of police officers sent earlier to Samar province, tagged as one of the country’s election hotspots.

The police regional office urged the public to report to the regional headquarters any allegations linked to harassment, file complaint against police officers who will violate the Omnibus Election Code. (PNA)
JMC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO