Aklan PNP: Stricter security on May polls
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL / The NewsToday

http://www.thenewstoday.info/2010/05/05/aklan.pnp.stricter.security.on.may.polls.html

Senior Superintendent Epifanio Bragais, Jr. said the Aklan Police Provincial Office in cooperation with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Commission on Elections are prepared to ensure the honest, orderly, and peaceful elections in Aklan. APPO, he said, is deploying additional policemen in clustered precincts to secure election equipments and paraphernalia / PHOTOS BY BOY RYAN ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan - The Aklan Police Provincial Office (APPO) has vowed to implement stricter security measures in the forthcoming May 10, 2010 polls in the province in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Commission of Elections (Comelec).
Aklan police provincial director Senior Supt. Epifanio Bragais, Jr. said the 105 additional policemen from the Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 are still waiting for go-signal from the Comelec for their deployment to guard the voting centers across the province.
The policemen, he pointed out, are tasked to secure the Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS) machines installed by Comelec and to maintain the peace and order in 329 polling centers.
"Nakapaghanda na kami sa final deployment plans para sa eleksyon. We have a coordinating conference on May 4 with Comelec, Aklan Electric Cooperative (Akelco), AFP, the Department of Education, board of election inspectors and the forwarders to discuss and thresh out the security arrangements and assistance for the May polls," he said during the Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis at Camp Pastor Martelino on Monday morning with the Aklan Police and Defense Press Corps (APDPC).
“Sapat ang mga pulis natin para sa seguridad sa naitalang 329 voting centers sa Aklan. This is the directive to deploy cops in the clustered precincts kasama ang AFP at additional augmentation sa regional headquarters para tumulong sa security at kapayapaan sa ating eleksyon,” Bragais said.
The police director stressed that one policeman will be assigned in each voting precinct augmented by barangay tanods during the automated local and national elections on May 10.
"The police will concentrate in the security and are no longer allowed to handle during the deployment and retrieval of the PCOS units and other election paraphernalia. We are implementing stricter security measures, through police visibility, in polling and canvassing centers for the peaceful, orderly, honest and credible conduct of elections," Bragais added.

Gun ban violators and election watchlist of areas
So far as the gun ban violations, APPO confiscated 11 firearms, nine deadly weapons and arrested 21 persons since the Comelec Resolution No. 8714, which prohibits the carrying of firearms and deadly weapons, was implemented in checkpoints by the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Only three towns - Kalibo, New Washington and Lezo are classified in the Comelec's election watchlist of areas (EWAS). Bragais said the capital of Kalibo and New Washington had election-related violent incidents in the past elections while Lezo is included in the list after the grenade throwing in the house of the councilor candidate two months ago.
Bragais said the APPO is validating reports that there are identified partisan armed groups or vigilantes maintained by some politicians, especially in far-flung areas, out to harass the registered voters to support their candidates.
APPO remains apolitical
To strengthen the security measures, APPO has established election municipal assistance centers (EMAC) that will serve as quick-reaction points for emergency and to assist security concerns of voters including election-related violations within the area.
Bragais said the police officer detailed to secure the polling places are prohibited to enter or stay within a radius of 50 meters while only the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI), watchers, Comelec representatives and the voters casting their votes are allowed inside the polling centers.
"This is also to remind our men and women of APPO to remain apolitical in 2010 polls. They are directed to refrain from engaging in prohibited acts and thus remain neutral during the election period," he added.
Bragais rallied the APPO personnel to concentrate and to ensure the smooth conduct of elections in the barangays, saying the policemen are committed to uphold the Constitution, observe and adhere to the rule of law and preserve the democratic processes.
APPO covers the 17 municipalities in Aklan and the island of Boracay in their security preparations for 316,886 electorates casting their votes from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on May 10 automated polls.