The Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO-6) has accounted for 1,528 uniformed personnel to augment the security preparations in the region for the May 12 midterm elections.
PRO-6 director Brigadier General Jack Wanky said the augmentation force will be deployed to the Iloilo Police Provincial Office and the Antique Police Provincial Office.
In his message during the accounting of augmentation personnel at Camp Martin Delgado in Iloilo City yesterday, Wanky said that during this “critical period,” the Philippine National Police is one of those being relied upon to ensure successful national and local elections.
“We have more than enough troops to secure the election as required by the Commission on Elections. This mission will inevitably cause you many challenges as you leave your respective homes and put on hold your routine compliance with the higher office. Your election duty is our primordial concern,” he said.
Wanky also reminded police personnel to remain apolitical and remain focused on their duty.
In a press conference, Wanky said other provincial offices have positive variance or have more than enough personnel so they no longer need augmentation.
He said the Comelec requires at least two personnel in every voting center.
At the regional headquarters, Wanky said they deployed around 70 to 80 percent of their uniformed personnel to provide security to 2,854 voting centers across Western Visayas.
“We have stretched out all our personnel resources. Even my security was deployed for us to comply with the requirements,” he added.
The augmentation force includes personnel from the Iloilo City Police Office, Guimaras Police Provincial Office, and national support units, as well as recruits and personnel on schooling who were recalled for election duties.
Wanky assured that the regional headquarters is 100 percent ready and set with the accounting of personnel as among their last preparations.
He said there are 1,944,436 registered voters expected to swarm 7,337 polling precincts across the region, and their goal is to achieve zero crime incidents.
“We are 100 percent ready with our accounting a while ago. We are all set and ready to perform our election mandate,” he added. (PNA)