Police, soldiers to secure San Fernando’s hinterland barangays on election day

SAN FERNANDO, Cebu — The police in San Fernando town in southern Cebu will put up an advanced command post in Barangay Magsico starting on May 10 to cover the security needs of the town’s hinterland barangays on the election day.

Police Major Lymel Pasquin, chief of the San Fernando Police Station, said that the command post will he manned by eight members of the Philippine Army and two organic personnel coming from their police station.

“We hope that there will really be no (violent) incident during the election day. Pero kami naman dito sa (But we in) San Fernando, we assure na the PNP is still in control of the peace and order (situation) here,” Pasquin told CDN Digital in an interview on Sunday, May 5.

The Magsico command post, Pasquin said, will be tasked to cover the 14 hinterland barangays of San Fernando town and respond to any incidents in polling centers that are located within its jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, the town’s seven urban barangays will be placed under the supervision of personnel at the police station in Barangay South Poblacion.

After having been classified under the orange category of the election watchlist areas (EWAs), Pasquin said that two squads of the Philippine Army have already been reporting in their town since last week.

San Fernando gained notoriety following a series of shooting incidents that killed at least three of its town officials.

Read More: Councilor of San Fernando, Cebu killed in Zamboanga del Sur

The most prominent incidence of violence was the January 22 ambush that killed Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) President Ricardo “Nonoy” Reluya Jr. and two others and wounded reelectionist Mayor Lakambini Reluya.

Read More: Police have identified prime suspect in Mayor Reluya’s ambush

Councilor Reluya was also a candidate for vice mayor in the May 2019 midterm polls. He will be replaced by his eldest son Ricci Reluya following his death./dcb

 

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