• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Visayas Command (VISCOM) yesterday dispatched 120 additional Army troops in Negros Oriental to further enhance its law enforcement support operations for the upcoming 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
“Peace and order situation in Negros Oriental remains very much under control. However, we don’t want to take any chances. This is to ensure the safety and security of our people, as they exercise their rights and cast their votes in the upcoming Barangay and SK Elections,” said Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, VISCOM commander.
Arevalo added that sending additional troops to Negros Oriental aims to guarantee the success of the elections in the province.
Considering that as of this time, I think Negros Oriental, is still under Comelec control. No alibis not to be successful in this upcoming elections, he further said.
The personnel will be deployed during the BSKE in the conduct of law enforcement operations in support of the PNP and the COMELEC, Arevalo further said
The deployment of these additional troops, he added, is in line with the pronouncement of Atty. Lionel Marco Castillano, Central Visayas Comelec regional director, that AFP personnel will be deployed to the 549 clustered voting centers in Negros Oriental, together with PNP personnel.
Arevalo further said that the additional troops will provide them with flexibility, not only to secure the voting centers but also the entire province, and ensure a safe, peaceful, and orderly BSKE polls.
Nine barangays in Negros Oriental have been categorized as election areas of concern by the Joint Peace Security Coordinating Center of the province, of which eight under the category of Areas of Immediate Concern, and one under the category of Areas of Concern.
The additional AFP personnel that arrived in Negros Oriental came from Eastern Visayas.*
