The Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO-6) has called for the timely reporting of election violations, particularly on vote buying.
PRO-6 director, Brigadier General Sidney Villaflor, said at a press briefing on Saturday, October 28, that responding to cases of vote buying “boils down to informants” as he assumed all municipalities and barangays have active hotlines to “provide timely reporting.”
The PRO-6 Regional Election Monitoring Center has recorded an alleged vote-buying incident in Aklan province’s Banga town, reported several days after the incident happened.
According to the complainant, an envelope containing P500 and a list of candidates was left at their house.
The incident was endorsed by the concerned office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and is being validated to determine whether or not it can be considered an election-related incident.
Meanwhile, Villaflor acknowledged that vote buying using a digital platform is a challenge and is considered a birth pain both for law enforcement officers and the Comelec.
“This is a new mode of payment, so to speak. This will become part of [criticism] after elections on how enforcers can appropriately enforce the law on the online payment of the alleged vote buying,” he said.
Nonetheless, Villaflor said it’s all systems go for Monday, October 30, with 11,437 security personnel from the Philippine National Police already on board to ensure the safe and successful conduct of the elections.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) provided 1,874 troops, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has 212 personnel, and there is also augmentation from other security forces.
They also have reactionary forces ready for deployment in case the classification of a certain area is elevated.
About 172 barangays in Western Visayas are classified as election areas of concern — three are in the “red” category, all based in Negros Occidental; 163 in “orange;” and six in “yellow.”
“We based our deployment on comprehensive study, analysis and planning. Even though our forces are somehow stretched to the fullest, we still have to give attention to our normal police function and deployment,” Villaflor said.
Deputy Regional Director for Operations Colonel Joriz Cantoria, Regional Operation Division chief Colonel Gilbert Gorero, and Regional Public Information Office head Major Mary Grace Borio joined Villaflor in the early morning briefing.
Meanwhile, in an interview on October 26, Iloilo provincial election supervisor Reiner Layson said there would be an early delivery of election forms, supplies and paraphernalia to islands and remote barangays upon the request of election officers to ensure that they would be ready to start the elections at 7:00 a.m. on Monday.
They started the deployment of PNP officers, teachers, official ballots, and other accountable forms and supplies yesterday.
The island barangays in Iloilo are in the towns of Carles, Concepcion, Estancia, San Dionisio, and Ajuy, while the mountainous barangays are in Alimodian, Leon, Igbaras, Tubungan, San Joaquin, Maasin, and Janiuay, among others. (PNA)