CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Visayas Command (VISCOM) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is committed ensure the conduct of a safe and peaceful May 2022 elections here in the Visayas.
As part of their ongoing preparations, VISCOM personnel have started to intensify their efforts in manning Comelec checkpoints and their monitoring of the presence of armed groups who may want to cause chaos during the polls, says Lieutenant General Robert Dauz, the VISCOM commander, said in a statement.
Dauz said they are also coordinating with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and local law enforcement agencies as they map out plans on how to secure the polling precincts and the canvassing areas.
“We have been monitoring the situation on the ground and established close coordination with the COMELEC and the Philippine National Police (PNP) so as to ensure that the upcoming national and local elections will be conducted peacefully in the region,” Dauz said.
The VISCOM Commander said he does not want another bloodshed as the national and local elections near.
“It can be recalled that on November 19, 2021, James Maghanoy, the Election Officer of Lope De Vega, Northern Samar was killed in a shooting incident in Catarman. While on March 8 of the same year, the Mayor of Calbayog City, Hon Ronaldo Aquino was also killed in an ambush incident,” his statement reads.
As a crime deterrence, Dauz said, the 3rd Infantry Battalion (3IB) that is based in Samar was already tasked to go after private armed groups that operate on the island.
On election day, 3IB is also tasked to make sure that people are able to freely exercise their rights to vote without intimation or coercion.
READ: Election gun ban starts: PNP, Comelec, AFP conduct joint checkpoints
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