| CCPO Director Engelbert Soriano | File Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) director is expecting no peace and order problem in relation to the filing of the certificates of candidacy (COCs) and the implementation of the gun ban, which are about to end.
Police Colonel Engelbert Soriano, Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) director, said that the weeklong implementation had so far been orderly and peaceful.
Soriano further said that he already coordinated with various Commission of Elections (Comelec) officers in different cities and municipalities in Cebu province in the past few days and that they had not recorded any problems so far.
“So far, ang first question ko kasi talaga ay do you anticipate any problem in the next few days? Wala naman po akong negative na narining sa mga Comelec officers. Awhile ago, I was also talking to Attorney Castillano, provincial comelec, he’s also happy to note na wala syang nakikita o na-aanticipate na problem in the next few days and months,” Soriano said.
(So far, my first question to them is if they anticipate any problem in the next few days? I did not hear anything negative from the Comelec officers. A while ago, I was also talking to Attorney Castillano, provincial Comelec (officer), he is also happy to note that he anticipates no problems in the next few days and months.)
The filing of COCs will end on Friday, October 8.
Recently, Police General Guillermo Eleazar, chief of the Philippine National Police, ordered a nationwide gun ban in view of the filing of COCs for at least eight days which started at midnight of September 30 until 7 a.m on Saturday, October 9.
In line with this directive, Soriano said that they had maintained 50 police checkpoint areas in Cebu province to monitor those who would carry firearms with them despite the temporary suspension.
READ: PRO-7 intensifies monitoring as PNP imposes gun ban
From their checkpoint operations, Soriano said that they did not confiscate any firearm.
As the implementation ends on Saturday morning, October 9, Soriano said they were already preparing for another round of gun ban during the election period.
CPPO Director Soriano also appealed to candidates to be in control of their people, especially those who were supporting them.
He said that they would continue to monitor the events today, which was the last day of filing of COCs.
From the start of the filing of COCs, Soriano said that there was no problem at all and that they did not apprehend any protocol violators.
He said the challenge now would be to maintain this throughout the election period because the election fever was getting intense already.
“We will continue to do our monitoring. We will continue to remind them kung ano yung ineexpect namin sa kanila (on what we expect from them) at kung ano yung ineexpect nila sa amin (what they should expect from us). Ganun lang (That’s it.). Close coordination with all the Comelec operations in the Cebu province,” he added.
Aside from that, he also said that although they did not receive reports of the possible proliferation of fake bills in Cebu province during the election period, they would continue to be on the lookout for this.
Soriano also said that their operations against private armed groups and loose firearms would continue.
READ: CPPO after private armed groups