Comelec ready for elections on May 9

CEBU, Philippines - “One hundred percent prepared.”

This was the statement of Commission on Election-7 Director Jose Nick Mendros in yesterday’s final security briefing for the 2016 national and local elections on May 9.

The security details for this important occasion, he said, have already been done.

Mendros said the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Comelec has already prepared contingency plans, even for the worst case scenario on elections day.

“Everything is being considered,” he said, adding that police officers would be deployed at the voting centers for security purposes.

Mendros said that there would be a liquor ban on May 9  and that people are prohibited from wearing shirts, ball caps, ballers, and other campaign paraphernalia with names and faces of candidates because it would be considered as campaigning, which is not allowed on election day.

He said, though, that those who caught violating this would be warned first instead of being arrested outright.

Mendros clarified that they already considered themselves prepared or ready for the elections because what is needed is just for additional machines and official ballots to arrive and be distributed.

Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Patrocinio Comendador Jr., Police Regional Office-7 director, said they were monitoring a potential private armed group within Cebu.

He, however, said the report they received was merely as a heads up and that no actual group has been confirmed so far.

Colonel Arnulfo Matanguihan of the AFP, on the other hand, said they would deploy ground, naval, and air assets on elections day.

He said they have men who would be ready to react to any situation and that they would be accordingly equipped.

Also, PRO-7 Deputy Regional Director for Operations Rey Lyndon Lawas said “more than normal deployment” of policemen would be adopted in 22 cities and municipalities in Central Visayas categorized as Election Watchlist Areas (EWAS).

Of the 22, eight are in Cebu, another eight in Bohol, and six in Siquijor. They were tagged as EWAS because of “intense political rivalry.” — (FREEMAN)