PNP chief to PRO-8: Secure communication facilities in Regional 8 for Election Day

PALO, LEYTE, Philippines  — Philippine National Police Chief, Director General Ricardo Marquez had ordered top police  officials in Eastern Visayas to secure every communication facilities, like cellsites, around the region, as these are vital facilities in the conduct of Election Day on May 9.

This will ensure that the election returns will not be hampered in the transmission via internet, said Marquez during his visit to Leyte for the election preparations conference with officials of the Police Regional Office-8.

Marquez told his troops here to deploy special forces that will focus their operations in maintaining and securing communication facilities in Eastern Visayas.

“Your leadership is very vital in securing the conduct of a peaceful and credible elections, instead of participating in any political activities. That is my marching order to my men in the field,” Marquez told the PRO-8 officials.

Samar Police Provincial Director, Senior Supt. Rommel Cabagnot, reported that his command will be securing a total of 69 communications tower in his province within 24 hours during Election Day.

Marquez said the PRO-8 has finally reached the level of preparations in the coming elections, and that it had earlier identified 42 immediate areas of concern that the police should attend to.

PRO-8 Regional Director, Chief Supt. Jose Erwin Villacorte, for his part, announced that San Isidro town in Leyte has been added into the list of hot spots, and that the chief of police here was relieved last week after the latter was found to be involved in political activities favoring a particular candidate.  (FREEMAN)