Philippine National Police force. INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines — Sixty personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) were tapped to serve as electoral board members in the special elections that will be held in 12 barangays in Tubaran town in Lanao del Sur on Tuesday, May 24.
Deputy Executive Director for Operations Director Teopisto Elnas said the police officers underwent proper training and certification.
“Sila ang mag-conduct ng elections para maibsan, para magiging matiwasay and peaceful and orderly ‘yung conduct ng elections natin,” Elnas said in a press briefing.
(They will conduct the elections to have peaceful and orderly conduct of elections there.)
“Bukas, ang gagamitin na electoral boards natin, 60 of the personnel ng PNP ang gagamitin as special board of election inspectors,” he added.
(Tomorrow, 60 PNP personnel will be deployed as a special board of election inspectors.)
READ: Cops on Lanao del Sur town special polls duty are trained, neutral fresh grads, PNP assures
The Comelec earlier declared a failure of elections in 14 barangays in Lanao del Sur — 12 barangays in Tubaran and one each in Butig and Binidayan.
But Comelec Commissioner George Garcia said the initial report of the failure of elections in a precinct in Butig and Binidayan was “wrong” and no special elections will be held in the said areas.
“Technically, ‘yung (the) initial na report from the field was wrong and it was really corrected by the regional director ng (of) Comelec. That’s why ang hiningi lang niya na (he only asked for a) special election ay ‘yung presinto ng (in the precincts of) Tubaran,” he said in the same press briefing.
The Comelec assured they were prepared for the special elections, saying that each clustered precinct has one contingency vote-counting machine and secure digital (SD) card.
The government previously said that around 800 uniformed personnel from the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines were ready to secure the special elections.