Other poll duties eyed for cops in Maguindanao del Norte town

 

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is considering deploying personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP) for other election-related duties in all polling precincts in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.

 Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia shared this development following an ambush that killed provincial election supervisor Atty. Maceda Abo and her husband Jojo Abo in Datu Odin Sinsuat town.

“I-aapprove ng Comelec en banc yung paglalagay ng ating myembro ng PNP coming from other regions as members of electoral board [EB], as support staff, and even yung Deso [Department of Education Supervising Officer] natin ay atin pong pinaplano na ilagay ang PNP,” Garcia told reporters in an interview. 

 (The Comelec en banc will approve deploying PNP members coming from other regions as members of the electoral board, as support staff, and even as Deso.)

READ: Election exec, husband slain in ambush in Maguindanao del Norte

“Kung sakali po, yung lahat ng presinto sa buong lugar kung saan nangyari ang karahasan,” Garcia added.

(If ever, it will be in all [polling] precincts where the incident took place.)

He also shared that around 7,000 police officers are being trained as EB members. He added that they are also certified by the Department of Science and Technology as election officers. 

Security details for election officers

Garcia noted that based on the latest update from the regional director in Maguindanao, Abo did not request for security personnel. 

He previously said that the election officer requested for one, but was not given any, based on reports. 

Meanwhile, he mentioned that the Comelec is openly offering security detail from the PNP or AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] in areas where election officers are threatened.