Troops told: Arms to be used to protect sanctity of ballot
THE police forces in Cebu and Mandaue cities can provide sufficient election security.
According to Senior Supt. Audie Villacin, chief of the Regional Police Community Relations Directorate, augmentation from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will be concentrated in areas that are under the Election Watchlist Areas (Ewas) and localities which are short of police personnel.
Villacin said, election security operations in Lapu-Lapu City is being augmented by over 100 troops from the AFP’s CentCom.
The towns of Malabuyoc, Daanbantayan and Sogod are being closely monitored for high possibility of election violence, while the town of Compostela was removed from the Ewas.
The threat levels in Bogo and Danao cities and the town of Tuburan are classified as critical.
Other localities being watched are Toledo City, Medellin, San Remegio, Tabogon, Ronda, Pinamungahan, Tabuelan, Consolacion, San Fernando, Barili and Ginatilan.
During the send-off ceremony of AFP troops on election duty at Camp Lapu-Lapu last Tuesday, Cebu Provincial Election Supervisor Eddie Aba reminded the soldiers to exercise “maximum tolerance.”
“Your forces, your arms, should be used to protect the sanctity of the ballots and to protect our fellow citizens,” he said.
AFP Central Command Chief Maj. Gen. Roy Deveraturda ordered his troops to remain non-partisan.
“We are to serve the country even in the most difficult circumstances,” he said.
He also said that aircraft and vessels were also placed on alert to respond to any eventuality. Christine Emily L. Pantaleon and Joy Cherry Quito
