Cops to serve as election inspectors in Lanao del Sur

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) said over a hundred of its men will be trained to work as special Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) in a province at the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao following the refusal of teachers there to work on the day of elections.

Chief Superintendent Miguel Antonito, deputy national Task Force SAFE commander 2013, said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will train 177 police officers to work as BEIs in Lanao del Sur.

Antonio said the Comelec requested the PNP to send some of its men to serve as BEIs on May 13 in the said province since the teachers there refused to go on duty.

He said the Comelec would train the officers on May 8 and 9 in Cagayan de Oro City on how to operate the precinct count optical scan machines which will be used in the upcoming automated elections.

Antonio said the cops would be wearing their uniform and would be using an identification card provided by the Comelec as they perform their election duties next week.

Lanao del Sur is among the 15 areas of concern identified by the Department of Interior and Local Government and the PNP in relation to the upcoming polls.