Army task force to secure polls in Central Mindanao

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao, Philippines – The Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID) yesterday activated a 1,000-member task force to secure Central Mindanao, including the areas identified as election hot spots.

Col. Romeo Brawner, 6th ID chief-of-staff, heads Task Force Clean, Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections or CHOPS.

Brawner and his men with their combat vehicles, tanks and motorized watercraft  will operate under the supervision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), said Major Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, 6th ID commander.

Pangilinan said the task force would coordinate with the joint ceasefire committee of the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The MILF earlier said it would reposition its forces to ensure that Comelec personnel and teachers could perform their duties without security concerns.

Off to ARMM

Meanwhile, a send-off ceremony was held yesterday for over 100 Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) police officers to be deployed to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) for the elections.

 Superintendent Chitadel Gaoiran, spokesperson for the Calabarzon police, said the police officers would join their colleagues from Central Luzon, Bicol and Ilocos  regions who will augment the police force in the ARMM.

These police officers will stay in the ARMM  until a few days after the elections.

In Pangasinan, an additional 293 personnel from the regional office arrived yesterday to augment the 2,041 police force.

Superintendent Jackie Candelario, deputy provincial director for operations, said an additional 493 police officers from the national headquarters were expected to arrive  in the province this week.

Meanwhile, the Central Luzon police has been placed on full alert  since Wednesday for the elections.

Chief Superintendent Rudy Lacadin, Police Regional Office-3 director, said police personnel doing desk work at the regional headquarters would be deployed to various polling precincts to maximize police visibility on election day. – With Ed Amoroso, Cesar Ramirez, Ric Sapnu