Policemen hone firing skills for polls

CEBU, Philippines - More than 50 police officials engaged in a shoot-off at the Cebu Pistol and Rifle Association (CPRA) Firing Range in Lapu-Lapu City in line with the security preparation for the May 9 elections.

Chief Superintendent Patrocinio Comendador, Police Regional Office-7 director, said yesterday that the shoot-off was meant to refresh the skills of the police who are detailed to secure the elections.

“We want to revisit and refresh our shooting skills ...Also to send a message to the violators, those who want to destruct peace...(that) we are ready...Second is to foster camaraderie,” Comendador said in his speech yesterday morning.

The activity, named “S.A.F.E 2016 Shoot off” for Secured And Fair Elections, was participated in by police officers from Siquijor, Bohol, and the cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue.

Comendador said the participants went through three stages with different obstacle set-ups while using their issued service firearms of either 9 mm pistol or .45 pistol.

Barricades and obstacles in different positions, almost covering the target cartons, were the challenges the policemen faced in every stage.

The shoot-off activity was coordinated by the Philippine Shooters and Match Officers Confederation (PSMOC), an organized group of gun enthusiasts.

Senior Superintendent Jonathan Cabal of the Mandaue City Police Office, who participated in the shoot-off, said the activity gave him confidence in facing danger danger.

“Worst comes to worst, the commander is expected to deliver service. Mas lesser yung chance na magkaroon ng casualty sa amin. Merong high probability na mas successful ang operation,” said the MCPO chief.

On the other hand, Senior Superintendent Arnel Amor Libed of Lapu-Lapu City Police Office said that participants also learn gun-handling proficiency aside from gaining confidence.

“Ang firearm namin is our main tool for our duty,” he said.

Comendador said yesterday’s activity was the first of several shoot-off exercises under his administration.

Meanwhile, during the Provincial Peace and Order Council meeting at the Capitol yesterday, Comelec-Cebu Acting Supervisor Eliseo Labaria said 4,066 vote counting machines (VCMs) for all the polling places in the province have already arrived.

The number includes an additional 55 contingency machines, which would be pre-deployed to different strategic areas as immediate replacement to VCMs that might malfunction.

“So we can address technical problems immediately,” Labaria said of the extra VCMs.

He said each machine’s battery can last for 18 hours so the voting process cannot be hampered should there be power interruptions.

Polling places, or the room where an electorate casts his vote, are open from 6 a.m. until 5 p.m., or for 11 hours, on May 9

“We are all ready except for the deployment of materials and our troops,” Labaria said.

He said Comelec would distribute the VCMs on May 5. The following day, a final testing and sealing will be conducted.

He urged the electorate to witness the testing to dispel doubts on the machines integrity.

Labaria also said that while polling places are open only up to 5 p.m., voters who are within a 30-meter radius of a polling place 30 minutes before voting closes would still be catered to beyond 5 p.m.

The Cebu Province Police Office and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, on the other hand, also assured that enough security force would be present at the polling centers, especially in the areas placed under election watchlist, namely: Bogo City, Daanbantayan, Tuburan, San Francisco, Medellin, Carmen, San Fernando, and Dumanjug.

Also, the Bureau of Fire Protection said it would likewise be on red alert on elections day.

Provincial Fire Marshal Ronaldo Orbeta said during the “Kapistorya” forum organized by the Provincial Information Office yesterday that all their personnel will not be allowed to take a leave during that day. —  Christell Fatima M. Tudtud, Michael Vencynth H. Braga, Chlei Von Garcia (FREEMAN)