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Saturday, May 26, 2007
Troops deployed to Armm for special polls
By Bong Garcia
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Police on Friday deployed two battalions of policemen in at least 16 towns in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) in preparation for the conduct of special elections in the area.
Chief Superintendent Joel Goltiao, Armm police director, said a battalion from the Philippine Army would serve as backup to policemen guarding the conduct of the May 26 special elections.
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Of the 16 municipalities where failure of elections was declared, 13 towns are located in the province of Lanao del Sur, two in Basilan province, and one in the newly created Shariff Kabunsuan town.
Aside from Basilan, Lanao del Sur and Shariff Kabunsuan, Armm is made up of Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Maguindanao provinces and the city of Marawi.
Goltiao said that at least 64 police, 10 percent of them women, would serve as Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) in the town of Sultan Dumalondong, Lanao del Sur.
Armm election officer Rey Sumalipao said they are ready for the holding of the special elections in the autonomous region.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec), however, has not yet scheduled the holding of special elections in Basilan Province.
A Comelec statement said the commission has yet to decide on the petition for the declaration of failure of elections in "certain barangays" of six towns of Basilan.
Major Teodoro Briones, 1st Marine Brigade information officer, said they have already deployed troops in preparation for the conduct of special elections in Basilan province.
Briones said Marine forces would serve as backup to the police force, which is the leading agency to secure the conduct of the elections. (Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (May 21, 2007 issue)
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