E. Visayas army sends troops to secure polls in Negros Oriental

From the Philippine News  Agency (Oct 19, 2023): E. Visayas army sends troops to secure polls in Negros Oriental (By Sarwell Meniano)

SECURING POLLS. Some of the soldiers assigned in Eastern Visayas deployed to secure elections in Negros Oriental during a ceremony in Tacloban City on Thursday (Oct. 19, 2023). Soldiers who will render election duty in Negros Oriental will be deployed inside the voting centers along with policemen. (Photo courtesy of Philippine Army)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division based in Catbalogan City, Samar, has sent 113 soldiers to Negros Oriental province to help secure the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) there.

Brig. Gen. Perfecto Peñaredondo, assistant commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division, said the deployed troops is a composite team from the 14th Infantry Battalion, 46th Infantry Battalion, 52nd Infantry Battalion, and 78th Infantry Battalion who will be placed under the operational control of Army’s 302nd Infantry Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division.

"You will make a great contribution to preserving democracy and ensuring that the voice of the people is heard,” Peñaredondo said during the send-off ceremony at the Air Force headquarters here on Thursday.

The official reminded the troops to maintain discipline, professionalism, and respect for human rights as they perform their sworn duty, and as deputized by the Commission on Elections in securing peaceful, orderly, fair, and honest elections.

The soldiers who will render election duty in Negros Oriental will be deployed inside the voting centers along with policemen. In other provinces, the military cannot go beyond the 50-meter radius from the voting centers.

Currently, Negros Oriental province has nine villages under the Comelec areas of concern, including eight villages with reported presence of armed rebels and one village with intense political rivalry.

The military plans to deploy more troopers in the province coming from other units in the Visayas to safeguard the elections following the controversy brought about by the assassination of Governor Roel Degamo last March.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1212147