ILOILO City – The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) has assured the public that it has sufficient personnel to ensure the smooth and secure conduct of the May 12 midterm elections in Western Visayas.
PRO-6 regional director Brigadier General Jack Wanky played down the recent activation of the Negros Island Region. He said it won’t impact their ability to deploy officers to critical areas across the region.
“We have a considerable number of personnel, so there is no need to bring in police officers from Negros Occidental. We also have newly graduated personnel who will be utilized during the elections,” Wanky said.
While he did not provide the exact number of officers to be deployed, Wanky noted that PRO-6 currently has over 13,000 police personnel across Western Visayas. These officers will be strategically assigned to campaign venues, public spaces, and identified high-risk areas to prevent threats and respond quickly to any disturbances, he said.
Meanwhile, Major General Michael Samson, commander of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), said the military will augment police forces as needed. Soldiers and military vehicles are also on standby in case of emergencies.
Samson added that communist rebels are no longer a significant concern, as only a few remnants remain in the region.
“Our offensive operations against these remnants are ongoing. We will continue to pursue them,” Samson said, emphasizing their close coordination with local government units, the Commission on Elections, and other stakeholders to maintain peace and order throughout the election period./PN
