• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A total of 2,827 Army soldiers stationed in Negros Island Region, and Regions 6 and 7, were tapped for election duties during the May 12 polls, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines Visayas Command (VISCOM).
The personnel will support the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in ensuring a fair, orderly, and reliable electoral process, said Lt. Gen. Fernando Reyeg, VISCOM chief.
In his series of visits to headquarters of 79th Infantry Battalion in Sagay City, Negros Occidental; 11th and 47th Infantry Battalions in Siaton and Mabinay, Negros Oriental; 3rd Infantry Division in Jamindan, Capiz; and 82nd Infantry Battalion in Banga, Aklan, Lt. Gen. Fernando Reyeg, VISCOM chief, encouraged the troops to remain professional and committed to their mandate in securing the elections.
“Let us remain professional, committed, non-partisan, and loyal to the Constitution. Let us foster an environment where our people can exercise their right to vote freely and without fear or intimidation. Our professionalism and dedication are pivotal to safeguarding the sanctity of this democratic process,” Reyeg said.
A total of 310 policemen from the Bacolod City Police Office in Negros Occidental, are for deployment to Negros Oriental, three days before the elections, disclosed Atty. Lionel Marco Castillano, Comelec regional director for Negros Island.
All 25 towns and cities in Negros Oriental have been tagged by the Comelec as areas of concerns, with Guihulngan City and La Libertad falling under the red category, while the 23 remaining local government units are under the yellow category.
During the 2023 synchronized barangays elections, Negros Oriental was placed under Comelec control, following the killing of then Governor Roel Degamo and nine others inside his residential compound in Pamplona town.
In Negros Occidental, the 31 LGUs, including highly urbanized Bacolod City, were placed under green category, or having no election security concerns, while Candoni was placed under orange category due to an insurgency related incident on November last year.
Siquijor was also placed under the green category.
As far as the Regional Joint Security Coordinating Center (RJSCC), which is composed of the Philippine Army, National Police, Philippine Coast Guard and Comelec, Castillano said the threats of rebel remnants in Negros Island Region, especially in the two provinces of Negros, is negligible.*
