Wednesday, June 13, 2007 No need for task group: Valmoria
SECURITY arrangements for the plebiscite in Bogo will be “similar” to the May 14 elections but without a special subtask group supervising.
Senior Supt. Carmelo Valmoria, Cebu Provincial Police Office acting director, told reporters yesterday there was no need to augment the forces in Bogo because the existing forces can handle securing the polling centers.
The same polling precincts will be used for the plebiscite this Saturday.
“We also have not received any request from Bogo but we will have a standby force here,” he said.
No rivalry
Earlier, Valmoria and Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Silverio Alarcio Jr. said they did not foresee any security problems for the plebiscites because there was no political rivalry involved.
Unlike the May 14 polls, there will be no subtask group for Bogo. Valmoria said that aside from Bantayan Island, all election subtask groups have already been deactivated.
He said the troops in Bantayan Island will remain there “until further notice.”
Though the election period ends today, he said they will continue with the checkpoints in the island.
Arrangements
Bantayan Island was placed under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) due to intense political rivalry, an election-related violent incident (the shooting of mayoral candidate Rogelio Ilustrisimo Sr.) and reports of armed men.
Valmoria said the same arrangements will also be done for the plebiscites in Carcar, Lapu-Lapu City and eventually, Naga.
Valmoria met with Comelec officials yesterday afternoon to discuss the security requirements for the plebiscites. (MEA
