BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Council of Negros Occidental was activated yesterday, as authorities and the Commission on Election brace for the start of election period in January next year.
The JPSCC is composed of the Philippine National Police, Philippine Army, Philippine Coast Guard as well as the Comelec.
Following its activation, top military, police and Coast Guard and Comelec officials in Negros Occidental yesterday met at Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in Bacolod City, to strengthen coordination and interoperability among security forces in preparation for the May 2022 elections, provincial police deputy spokesperson PLt. Abegael Donasco said.
Donasco said that the increased monitoring for possible election hotspot areas was also among the topics discussed during the meeting, which was attended by Bacolod City Election Officer Kathrina Trinio-Caña, who represented provincial Comelec supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria, Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, P/Col. Romy Palgue and Capt. Ludovico Librilla, chief of the Philippine Coast Guard- Negros Occidental Station.
The Philippine Coast Guard has been included into the JPSCC, as agreed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and National Police, as well as Comelec.
Pasaporte, Palgue and Librilla have been designated as co-chairpersons of the Negros Occidental JPSCC.
Caña also discussed COMELEC Resolution No. 10695 that prescribes the calendar of activities pertaining to the elections to include the prohibited acts.
The 2022 election period starts from January 9 to June 8 next year, which the gun ban also takes effect.
In a statement issued by the PNP, newly-promoted PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos ordered all commanders to consolidate all resources, personnel and support systems to effectively cope with the mandated police duties to implement Comelec Resolution No. 10728, or the gun ban.
Carlos said the PNP will intensify a crackdown on unauthorized firearms, bodyguards, and other acts prohibited by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) ahead of next year’s elections.
Comelec said the bearing, carrying and transporting of firearms and other deadly weapons are prohibited during the period.
“No person shall employ, avail him/herself or engage the services of security personnel or bodyguards, whether or not such security personnel or bodyguards are regular members or officers of the PNP, AFP, other law enforcement agencies of the government or from a private security service provider, unless authorized by the Commission, through the Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns (CBFSC),” the resolution read.*
