More than 3,000 security personnel will be deployed for the May 9 polls in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, which are expected to be generally peaceful, Acting Provincial Elections Supervisor Roberto Salazar said Tuesday, May 3.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the security forces in the province are prepared for election day, he said, following a final Joint Provincial Security Coordinating Council meeting Tuesday morning.
No new election areas of concern have been identified in the province, he said.
Salazar said aside from the security forces he has asked the Provincial Health Office and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office to go on heightened alert on May 9.
The Philippine National Police will assign two policemen in each of the 743 voting areas in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City for a total of 1,486, he said.
There are 698 voting areas in Negros Occidental and 45 in Bacolod City, Salazar said.
The PNP also has Quick Reaction Forces on standby to respond to any untoward incidents on election day, he added.
The Bureau of Fire Protection will also deploy firetrucks in strategic areas on Election Day, he added.
Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said 1,800 Army soldiers and Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit personnel will deployed to provide poll security.
He said they are focusing on insurgency affected areas and conducting clearing operations to ensure peaceful elections.
It’s all systems go, we are ready, he said.
Salazar said the Comelec has provided 50 contingency Vote Counting Machines for Negros Occidental and two for Bacolod City that will serve as replacements in case of malfunctions on election day.*