9,000 cops deployed for poll-related duties in Central Luzon

Police, military, and coast guard officers participate in the send-off ceremony on May 4 for election-related duties at Camp Julian Olivas in Pampanga. (Photo courtesy of Police Regional Office 3)

MABALACAT CITY, Pampanga––At least 9,000 police officers were deployed on May 4 to seven Central Luzon provinces for election-related duties.

In a send-off ceremony Wednesday at Camp Julian Olivas in the City of San Fernando in this province, Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) director Brig. Gen. Matthew Baccay said the police officers include personnel assigned to do deskwork.

This, he said, would augment the number of lawmen in election precincts in Pampanga, Bulacan, Bataan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, and Aurora.

“By assigning desk work personnel to the field, the number of police officers tasked with ensuring safety and security, especially on election day, will be augmented,” he said.

Baccay said they would tap “force multipliers” that include civic communication and anti-crime groups to help secure polling places and their vicinities.

The PRO3 has a total strength of around 12,800 police officers, excluding about 2,800 members of regional support units.

The send-off ceremony and turn-over of forces and resources were also attended by members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Coast Guard.

Baccay encouraged the public to report unscrupulous activities they may notice to the police through the social media page of PRO3 or the regional police hotline numbers: 09985985330 and 09175562597.

The send-off ceremony coincided with the blessing of the Regional Election Monitoring Action Center (REMAC) inside the regional police headquarters.

Baccay said REMAC “serves as a repository of information for all election-related activities for timely and accurate reporting.”

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