More troops sent to Negros town under Comelec control

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — More government troopers were deployed yesterday in Moises Padilla town in Negros Occidental, which has been placed under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Brig. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said more than 300 soldiers were dispatched and numerous checkpoints were put up in the town and neighboring areas.

Arevalo said they were also checking reported sightings of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the area.

NPA rebels killed Councilor Jolomar Hilario who barged at at his residence on March 30.

Councilor Michael Garcia and his uncle Mark were killed in an ambush in Barangay Inolingan on April 25.

The victims were in a convoy of vehicles with Vice Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo, who is running for mayor, when they were attacked. Yulo was unhurt.

President Duterte visited Moises Padilla on Wednesday to attend a command conference with police and military officials on security measures for the elections in Western and Central Visayas.

The President met with Mayor Magdaleno Peña, who denied he had a hand in the ambush.

Duterte had a separate meeting with Yulo.

Gov. Alfredo Marañon said he hopes justice would prevail, especially after the visit of the President.

“Let us make sure the elections will be peaceful, honest and credible,” Marañon said.

Moises Padilla is the third area placed under Comelec control amid election-related killings after Daraga in Albay and Cotabato City.

Zero incident

Meanwhile, in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Philippine National Police chief  Gen. Oscar Albayalde said no election-related incident has been reported.

“It is very surprising, but very commendable,” Albayalde said.

He commended police and military personnel for their efforts and residents for their cooperation to maintain peace and order in the region.

Albayalde said police are focusing their attention in Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur, where shootings due to intense political rivalry were reported.

No Sayyaf threat

In Basilan, Col. Rufino Inot, provincial police director, said they have not monitored threats from Abu Sayyaf bandits.

“There is negative information on any threat... aimed at disrupting the elections,” Inot said.

He said ongoing police and military operations isolated the movement of Abu Sayyaf bandits.

Inot said additional units of handheld radio transceivers were delivered for use of police officers deployed in remote areas to ensure immediate security response.                  

No blackout

 The Mindanao Power  Monitoring Committee gave assurance that there would be adequate power supply tomorrow.

Mindanao Development Authority assistant secretary Romeo Montenegro said the peak demand for power in Mindanao  reached an all-time high of 2,013 megawatts on May 8, which coincided with the increase in discharge of water from Lake Lanao for impounding to downstream reservoirs to ensure reliable power supply on election day.

“This is in support of the Department of Energy-led election task force’s efforts... for all power suppliers and distribution utilities to provide full support and participation to ensure continuous and adequate power supply before, during and after the elections throughout the country,” Montenegro said. – With Roel Pareño, Edith Regalado