Insurgency still a threat to 2016 polls in Region 8 - Army

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 14 (PNA) – Insurgency is still a primary concern of the Philippine Army on its bid to achieve honest, peaceful and orderly elections on May 9, 2016.

“The New People’s Army (NPA) is the number one threat at the national level and our major challenge in the region as well. We are closely monitoring their activities as part of our security preparations,” said Col. Cesar Idio, Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division assistant commander.

The military expects the armed rebels will collect fees on permit to campaign, permit to win, and permit to enter. The money generated through “extortion” will be used to launch more attacks against the government, according to the military official.

“Their activities aimed at embarrassing the government, but these are under our control,” Idio added.

Despite recent attacks launched by the NPA against the military in Samar provinces, the official is optimistic of the peaceful situation ahead of Election Day due to intensified security operations.

“But we are not complacent as we prepare mitigation plans and possible security measures for every possible scenario,” he told reporters.

The military and the police are deputized by the Comelec to ensure honest orderly and peaceful elections.

Meanwhile, Idio reminded soldiers to remain non-partisan since voters are depending much on government troops in “upholding their best interest.”

“The success that we can attain in the coming elections will showcase how we have matured as an institution. We, the Comelec and the police are the last bastion of people during elections.”

“During this period, the watchful eyes of the people are on us, waiting for us to do our mandated tasks, while others are there to see if we do otherwise,” Idio added. (PNA)
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Security agencies to further study areas that need more attention ahead of May polls

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 14 (PNA) - The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Army will conduct a workshop to identify areas that need additional security personnel in preparation for the May 9, 2016 elections.

According to Commission on Elections (Comelec) Regional Director Jose Nick Mendros, the formulation of a security plan was agreed during the first regional joint security control center (RJSCC) conference on January 8.

The workshop seeks to come up with a consensus as to the deployment of police and military personnel in the region relative to the conduct of elections.

The RJSCC has tagged 44 towns as watch list based on the history of previous elections, the incidents involved, and the candidates involved.

Election period started January 10 and will end on June 8. Campaign period for president, vice president, senators and party list starts on February 9 until May 7. Local candidates’ campaign period starts on March 25 until May 7.

The police and army as deputized security personnel of Comelec during elections are mandated to help the poll body in ensuring honest, peaceful and orderly conduct of elections.

Authorities started to intensify their campaign of gun ban by putting up check points in the different entry and exit points in the region. (PNA)
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Police to disband 131 private armies in Samar

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 13 (PNA) – The Philippine National Police (PNP) is stepping up efforts to disband 131 active private armies in Samar provinces in a bid to ensure honest, orderly, and peaceful elections on May 9.

Reports reaching the police regional headquarters show that private armed groups (PAGS) with 158 firearms thrive in Calbayog City and nearby towns within the first congressional district of Samar province. At least 39 of these private armies have warrants of arrest.

The Montealto group based in Calbayog City has the most number of members at 65, followed by the Moloboco group with a force of 44 armed men based in nearby Sta. Margarita town. These two groups are in control of 129 firearms.

Sr. Supt. Brigido Unay, chief of the police regional intelligence division said that 22 private armies are also active in the towns of Matuguinao, San Jorge, and Gandara. These areas have been consistently identified as hotspot during elections period.

Members of private armies have been tagged by the police as behind the recent series of killings in Samar’s first district.

“As the election draws near, utilization of PAGS by unscrupulous politicians are expected. We will conduct sustained police operations, targeting PAGS and armed elements even after the elections period,” Unay said.

Dismantling of private armies is listed as the top priority of Samar police provincial office since last year.

In 2015, the police formed a special team tasked to disband private armies with the help of the military. (PNA)
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Police sets up 31 Comelec checkpoints in poll ‘hotspot’ Samar province

TACLOBAAN CITY, Jan. 13 (PNA) – At least 31 Comelec (Commission on Elections) checkpoints have been set up in Samar province, where many places have been identified by the police as area of concern this election period.

Six of these checkpoints are in Calbayog City, where several election-related killings have been reported since last year, said Samar police provincial director Sr. Supt Rommel Cabagnot.

“Aside from 26 checkpoints in 24 towns and two cities, we have additional five checkpoints in Calbayog City. This is on top of mobile checkpoints in our effort to prevent crimes,” Cabagnot said.

The police official, who was just installed as provincial police chief last month, said that a team of policemen has been patrolling around the city center of Calbayog to step up security in the area.

Calbayog City and all towns within the first legislative district of Samar are included in the police areas of concern this coming elections.

These are Almagro, Gandara, Matuguinao, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, Santa Margarita, Santo Niño, Tagapul-an, Tarangnan.

Outside Samar’s first district, in the elections watch list are Hinabangan, Paranas, Pinabacdao, San Jose de Buan, and Tarangnan.

These areas have been on the list because of past and recent election-related violence, presence of private armed groups, intense political rivalry and insurgency problem.

The police provincial office is also preparing to welcome the 88 members of the Police Special Action Force, who will help secure the hotpots in Samar province during election period.

Samar has 875 policemen with 81 of them are assigned in Calbayog City.

The official assured that policemen are not supporting 6any politician including the allies of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento, who hails from Samar. The cabinet secretary’s brother is running for congress in Samar’s first district.

“We are consistent with our mandate. That is to ensure peace and order without fear or favor,” Cabganot added.

The police are keeping its eye on 131 active members of the private armed groups who are in control of 158 firearms. Authorities are expecting that some politicians will use private armies to harm their opponents and intimidate voters. (PNA)
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Top Comelec Visayas regional officials swap posts

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 13 (PNA) - The three regional offices of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the Visayas have formally reshuffled their top officials.

Comelec Eastern Visayas Regional Director Jose Nick Mendros said he is supposed to be transferred on January 10 to Comelec Central Visayas office in Cebu, however, he requested for extension to wind up with some activities.

This includes the completion of the rating process for field officers on their individual performance and commitment review.

Based on the memorandum of their transfer, they are given until February 9 or the start of the campaign period, to assume the new post.

Comelec Western Visayas Regional Director Dennis L. Ausan will be assigned to the regional office in Tacloban while Comelec Central Visayas Regional Director Temie P. Lambino will be transferred to the regional office in Iloilo.

Majority of election officers will also be subject to transfer, but the regional office here still awaits for recommendations from the provincial election officers.

Priority for transfer are those election officers whose family members and relatives are candidates in their present area of assignment.

Automatically transferred are election officers who have been in their area of assignment for four years. They will be assigned to another congressional district. (PNA)
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Region 8 police, army draft 2016 polls security plan

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 12 (PNA) – Law enforcement agencies in Eastern Visayas will come up with consolidated security plans to step up preparations for the upcoming May 9 elections.

Lawyer Jose Nick Mendros, Comelec regional director said the plan will be finalized before the campaign period of candidates for national positions on Feb. 9.

“The possible scenario is that the election will be peaceful and we are working hard to achieve that, but we are planning for the worst,” Mendros said.

The Comelec will deputize the Philippine Army, Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies to ensure honest, orderly and peaceful elections this year.

The joint security plan, which is based on possible scenarios, will be the basis for the deployment of the army and police to secure the board of election inspectors and voting centers.

Col. Cesar Idio, Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division assistant commander said the military has already drafted their own security plan, but it has to be consolidated with the police.

“Our plan makes sure that the elections will be peaceful, free from violence, and that the people are secured in exercising their rights without intimidation, force, pressure or any violent act, which violate their free will,” Idio said.

Police Regional Director Jose Erwin Villacorte has directed all personnel last week to come up with provincial security plans in consultation with local election officers.

“Setting up checkpoints is just one of the strategies. We need to coordinate our efforts to accomplish other tasks such as dismantling private armies and lawless elements,” Villacorte said.

The Comelec, PNP and the Army recently activated the joint security control centers (JSCC) in the regional, provincial and city levels.

The JSCC, chaired by Comelec, craft and implement a strategy to address all election-related security issues and concerns peculiar to an area.

The joint group is primarily tasked to formulate and implement a plan for “intensified law enforcement and security operations to thwart nefarious activities of criminals targeting loose firearms with threat groups and neutralize private armed groups within respective jurisdiction.”

They are also mandated to accept and process all applications for security detail by candidates for the House of Representatives and local candidates and provide temporary security detail to the concerned applicants for a maximum period of 30 days. (PNA)
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Police tags 44 Eastern Visayas towns as election watchlist

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 11 (PNA) – The Philippine National Police (PNP) has tagged 44 towns in Eastern Visayas as election watchlist areas in relation to the May 9 elections.

In the list of areas of concern list are 15 towns in Samar, 12 towns in Leyte, nine in Northern Samar, seven in Eastern Samar, and one in Biliran.

Sr. Supt. Brigido Unay, chief of the police regional intelligence division, said these places of concern have been consistently included in the past elections.

“These have been categorized as areas of concern because of past and recent election-related violence, presence of private armed groups, intense political rivalry and insurgency problem,” Unay said.

Calbayog City and all towns within the first legislative district of Samar are included in the areas of concern. These are Almagro, Gandara, Matuguinao, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, Santa Margarita, Santo Niño, Tagapul-an, Tarangnan.

Outside Samar’s first district identified in the watch list are Hinabangan, Paranas, Pinabacdao, San Jose de Buan, and Tarangnan.

The police official declined to disclose the specific areas in Leyte, Biliran, Northern Samar and Eastern included in the watch list for 2016 polls, but he said the list are the same in 2013.

Listed as hotspots in the last elections are Baybay and Ormoc cities and the towns of Bato, Inopacan, Kananga, Matag-ob, Tabango, San Miguel, Albuera, Burauen, Carigara, and Jaro in Leyte.

In Eastern Samar, these areas are Arteche, Taft, Can-avid, Dolores, Hernani, General MacArthur, Jipapad and Quinapondan.

In Northern Samar, these places are Bobon, Catubig, Mapanas, Mondragon, Palapag, San Isidro, Gamay, Las Navas, Lavezares, Lope de Vega, Pambujan, Capul and Victoria. The only town in Biliran province tagged as watchlist in the past elections was Kawayan.

Only the Southern Leyte province was not included in the police areas of concern this year.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Regional Director Jose Nick Mendros said there will be more deployment of police in these areas to ensure peaceful, orderly, and honest elections.

“More intensified checkpoints will be implemented in these areas to help prevent the occurrence of election-related violence,” Mendros added.

The Comelec, PNP, and the Philippine Army has stepped up security measures for the May 9, 2016 polls with the election period kick off on Sunday. (PNA)
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Northern Samar poll officers asked to check status of typhoon-hit voting centers

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 7 (PNA) – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) regional office here has asked election officers in Northern Samar to conduct inventory of typhoon hit-areas to see if classrooms can still be used as voting centers in the May 9, 2016 polls.

Comelec Regional Director Jose Nick Mendros said town election officers are given until January 15 to complete the assessment of school buildings destroyed by typhoon Nona when it ravaged the province last month.

“We expect that there are damages. That is why we asked them to check if these are still usable and if not, we would like to hear their recommendations,” Mendros told PNA.

Northern Samar has 476 schools tagged as voting centers in the past elections.

Possible alternative voting centers are village halls, multi-purpose halls, and covered courts. Churches and privately-owned structures are not considered as alternative voting centers.

“After the assessment, the election officer will come up with a request for transfer of voting precincts,” Mendros added.

The Comelec will also coordinate with the Department of Education to find out if they have capability to fix damaged classrooms before Election Day. (PNA)
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