PRO-12 to deploy 9,300 cops to secure May 13 polls

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines — The Police Regional Office 12 will mobilize 9,370 personnel to secure polling sites in central Mindanao on May 13.

Police Lt. Col. Aldrin Gonzalez, spokesman of PRO-12, said Friday they are now mobilizing their units in the cities of General Santos, Tacurong, Koronadal and Kidapawan, and the provinces of Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato—where some clans are locked in deep-seated political rivalries.

Gonzalez said PRO-12’s poll security missions are personally led by their regional director, Gen. Eliseo Rasco, and are supervised by the Commission on Elections.

He said the Armed Forces of the Philippines will augment police numbers with 2,846 personnel to help with peacekeeping operations in central Mindanao on polling day.

Major Gen. Cirilito Sobejana of the Army's 6th Infantry Division said Friday their units will perform joint election security duties along with personnel of PRO-12 and the Bangsamoro regional police under Brig. Gen. Graciano Mijares.

"All of these security missions shall be coordinated closely too with local government units in areas that are under our jurisdiction," Sobejana said.

The 6th ID covers Cotabato City, Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, which are under the BARMM police, and Tacurong City and parts of Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato provinces that are part of Administrative Region 12.