The Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) welcomed 310 additional officers from the Bacolod City Police Office on Tuesday as part of the augmentation forces for the upcoming May 12 elections.
Lt. Stephen Polinar, NOPPO spokesperson, confirmed the arrival of the officers, noting that this move fulfills a commitment from the Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region to provide additional personnel to ensure a safe, peaceful, and orderly election process.
In line with the election preparations, Commission on Elections-Negros Island Region Director Lionel Marco Castillano reminded security forces to remain impartial during the elections. He echoed the guidance of COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Garcia, emphasizing the importance of protecting every Filipino’s vote.
“We just want to make sure that the vote of each and every Filipino voter will be cast and counted, because, as our Chairman said, this is only during this election that every Filipino would be truly equal — one man, one vote, one sacred vote,” Castillano stated.
Polinar also revealed that over 3,000 government security forces will be deployed in Negros Oriental for the elections. The deployment includes 1,764 officers from NOPPO, 180 from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion, 40 from the Special Action Force, 41 from the National Support Unit, 1,248 from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, 97 from the Philippine Coast Guard, and 189 from the Bureau of Fire Protection.