Close to 2,700 augmentation force in Region 8 to secure polls

PALO, Leyte, May 9  -- About 2,690 soldiers and policemen have been deployed across Eastern Visayas on Wednesday to secure the upcoming village and youth council elections.

In a send-off ceremony at the Philippine National Police (PNP) regional headquarters here, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Regional Director Jose Nick Mendros told law enforcers to do everything to achieve peaceful and orderly polls.

“Make sure that the environment and the place will be peaceful in such a way that members of the electoral board will be able to perform their functions and voters will not be afraid to go out and vote,” Mendros said.

Of the 2,690 deployed uniformed personnel, 1,700 are soldiers and 990 are policemen. Of the 3,783 voting centers in six provinces, 2,927 will be covered by the PNP and 856 by the Philippine Army.

Deployed soldiers are from the 801st brigade based in Hinabangan, Samar; 802nd brigade based in Ormoc City in Leyte; and 803rd brigade based in Catarman, Northern Samar. Each brigade has 500 to 600 troopers.

Out of the 990 policemen from the regional headquarters and special units, 197 are assigned in Leyte, 159 in Southern Leyte, 54 in Biliran, 184 in Samar, 172 in Eastern Samar, 160 in Northern Samar, and 32 each for Ormoc City and Tacloban City.

The number of augmented personnel is on top of the 4,471 policemen assigned in towns and cities tasked to secure voting centers.

Chief Supt. Gilberto Cruz, PNP-8 Regional Director, said the presence of policemen and soldiers in communities before and during Election Day can deter any crimes.

“Although all towns and cities initiated the signing of peace covenants, we still have to be visible to remind candidates of their commitment to truthful and honest elections. We are on the right track to keep an eye on those who have plans to distract the electoral process.”

Major Gen. Raul Farnacio, commander of the Army's 8th Infantry Division, said that soldiers have been deployed to upland areas in Samar provinces as early as Monday or a week before the elections.

“I instructed them already to shift to election mode. We have to be more alert because we will go back to manual voting and counting that may cause disorder in polling centers,” Farnacio added.

At least 284 villages in the Eastern Visayas region have been identified as election hotspots, citing intense political rivalries, threats of armed rebels, and violence committed by private armed groups.

Cruz said in a press briefing that they identified these areas in consultation with other security agencies, and also based on the parameters set by the Comelec.

Northern Samar has the most number of areas on the watch list with 114, followed by Samar (82), Eastern Samar (60), and Leyte (28).

These villages are in the towns of Bato, Carigara, Tabango, Alangalang, Albuera, Burauen, Hilongos, Inopacan, La Paz, Leyte, Macarthur in Leyte province; Basey, Calbayog City, Calbiga, Daram, Hinabangan, Jiabong, Marabut, Matuguinao, Motiong, Paranas, San Jose de Buan, Sta. Margarita, and Talalora in Samar.

Can-avid, Dolores, Hernani, Jipapad, Llorente, Maslog, Arteche, Balangkayan, Balangiga, General Macarthur, Giporlos, Maydolong, San Policarpo, Sulat, and Taft in Eastern Samar; Catarman, Catubig, Laoang, Lapinig, Las Navas, Lope de Vega, Mapanas, Pambujan, Palapag, Rosario, San Jose, San Isidro, and Silvino Lobos in Northern Samar. (SQM/With reports from Shiela Lebato & Joyce Piadora, OJTs/PNA)