More than 1,600 cops, soldiers deployed for poll duty in Bulacan

CAMP GEN. ALEJO SANTOS, Bulacan — More than 1,600 police officers and soldiers were deployed to 21 towns and three cities in Bulacan to ensure an orderly and peaceful voting in the national and local elections on Monday.

Newly-installed acting Bulacan police chief Colonel Charlie Cabradilla said 1,645 government troops were already in their respective posts and assignments since Wednesday, May 4.

Cabradilla said among those deployed were 140 members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), 24 Special Action Force (SAF) members, 45 members of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion and 50 members of the Police Regional Headquarters in Camp Olivas in Pampanga.

Cabradilla said the entire Bulacan Provincial Police Office is put on “full alert” status since May 2, a week before the elections to ensure peace and order in the 12,659 voting locations in the province.

Bulacan’s 3.7 million residents has 2,007,523 registered voters.

The Bulacan police established the Provincial Election Monitoring and Action Center (PEMAC) in this provincial headquarters camp to monitor all election related concerns.

“We will not loosen our vigilance in order to prevent any local threats or other criminal elements from gaining an advantage,” Cabradilla said.

The newly assigned police director also called on candidates and leaders including residents and supporters to not immediately judge and conclude lined up groups of individuals in some areas as already involved in vote-selling and vote-buying.

Cabradilla told Inquirer that police are bombarded with left and right allegations of vote-buying. However, no such incidents are taking place when police responded.

Region 3 police director Brigadier General Matthew Baccay said 9,683 from 12,100 police force in the region will were deployed for the May 9 elections.

/MUF