The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) cited several barangay civilian security forces for their contributions to helping maintain peace and order in their communities as they will also be utilized for the upcoming elections in Negros Oriental.

DILG 7 (Central Visayas) Director Leocadio Trovela, who led the awarding held at the convention center in Dumaguete City, said recognizing these civilian groups is timely because of the upcoming two elections in the province.

“Timing-wise, we would like to congratulate the province of Negros Oriental and the DILG family for recognizing the efforts of the barangay tanods, barangay peace and order committees, barangay anti-drug abuse councils, and the Lupong Tagapamayapa for maintaining peace in the province,” Trovela said in an interview.

Aside from the October 30 BSKE, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is also gearing up for the special elections in the province’s 3rd district in December.

Trovela said it is fitting to give due credit to these groups considering that the government and law enforcement units alone cannot successfully undertake peacekeeping efforts.

Their roles were also significant in the government’s fight against illegal drugs and other forms of criminality, Colonel Ronan Claravall, acting police provincial director, said.

“These are our front-liners in our fight against illegal drugs and other crimes. Since they are from the barangays, they know the grassroots and the people in their communities. They are the ones who inform us of what is happening on the ground,” Claravall said in part Filipino. (PNA)