By RONALD RAMAO
Diocese of Malaybalay, Bukidnon
MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon. –Four towns and a city in Bukidnon identified as election hot spots will be the target of security deployment plans of the military and police officials of this vote-rich province in Mindanao for the May 10 polls.
San Fernando, Kibawe, Talakag, and Kitaotao towns and Valencia City were identified as election hot spots in Bukidnon at a recent seminar on security deployment for the country’s first automated elections.
Residents have earlier expressed fears about the possible failure of elections in the province because of security threats from Communist insurgents and other armed groups. Many also still doubt the credibility of the new automated election system.
As part of the PNP’s security deployment plan, Philippine National Police (PNP) provincial commander Nerio Bermudo instructed the police chief of each municipality in the province to deploy one police officer in every polling center. All election paraphernalia to be delivered to their specific areas will be accompanied by a police officer for security.
Col. Nicanor E. Dolojan, 403rd Army brigade commander, said the critical areas or hot spots in Bukidnon will be their main concern for security deployment. They will disperse their personnel by teams to barangays.
He said one team will be stationed in each of the areas classified as “hot spots” — five in Kibawe; five in Talakag; three in Valencia; three in Kitaotao; and five in San Fernando. In peaceful areas, one roving team will be assigned to cover two to three barangays.
The seminar was conducted by the provincial office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), led by provincial election supervisor Lordino P. Salvaña in coordination with the PNP and the military.
In attendance were election officers, representatives of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), and the chief of police, city and municipal treasurers of the 20 municipalities and two cities of Bukidnon.
The seminar’s main objective was to find ways to safeguard election paraphernalia to ensure honest, peaceful, and orderly elections in the province. Comelec records show that Bukidnon is the fifth most vote-rich province in Mindanao, with 727,750 registered voters.