MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur--The special elections for 12 barangays in the municipality of Tubaran, this province, have been generally peaceful, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Tuesday, May 24.
Unlike the May 9 elections where teachers served as electoral board members, trained police personnel manned the polling precincts acting as the special board of election inspectors during the one-day special elections while other policemen and soldiers guarded the voting centers.
"So far normal, generally peaceful tapos walang insidenteng nangyari kasi mayroon tayong sinusunod na procedures [no incident happened because we have procedures in place]," said OIC Police Provincial Director PCol. Jibin Bongcayao.
He said voters were first checked at the entrance gate and only a few were allowed to enter the voting center at a given time. They were then grouped by ten in the polling precincts to avoid chaos.
Voters were also required to present their voter’s ID or voter’s certificate before they can enter their respective polling precincts. This, according to Bongcayao, is one of the measures implemented to prevent flying voters.
Moreover, the PNP utilized a body-worn camera system to ensure transparency, provide additional evidence against saboteurs, and for live monitoring by higher-ups.
"So far, sa tatlong voting centers na nandito sa Tubaran, yung sa Buribid, Tangcal and Tubaran proper, wala kaming namonitor na mga incidents na nangyari. So far, normal siya [in the three voting centers here in Tubaran, in Buribid, Tangcal and Tubaran proper, we have not monitored any incidents occurred. So far, it's normal]," he further said.
Aside from the strict procedures, the police director also attributed the peaceful conduct of the special elections to the cooperation of the town's voters.
Both the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines tightened the security measures to ensure the peaceful, orderly and successful conduct of the special elections in Barangays Tangcal, Datumanong, Guiarong, Baguiangun, Wago, Malaganding, Gadongan, Riantaran, Pagalamatan, Mindamunag, Paigoday-Pimbataan and Metadicop where elections last May 9 was halted due to spate of violence.
Bongcayao said more or less 600 policemen and 400 soldiers were deployed to secure the special elections of which 45 police were to serve as special BEIs.
The 12 barangays have nearly 7,000 residents eligible to cast their ballots. (APB/PIA-10 Lanao del Sur)
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