SENIOR Superintendent Romeo Baleros, officer-in-charge of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo), reminded the candidates to "never hire private or partisan armed goons" to win the elections.

Though there are no private armed goons existing in the province as of this time, Baleros, in a press briefing at the Provincial Police Headquarters Thursday, February 14, said the police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) continue to monitor the movement of all candidates.

The full force of the law will be applied against whoever hires or rents private armed goons, Baleros said. "We will not hesitate to conduct law enforcement operations against them.”

We are here to protect everyone and we want this election to be peaceful, he added.

Let us respect the right of suffrage of everyone. Let us support the peaceful elections, Baleros said.

Baleros assured the Negrenses that the eight election-related violence happened in the previous years will not happen this time.

“We already studied how to prevent these incidents and it will not happen if candidates will remain faithful and steadfast in their commitment for a peaceful election,” Baleros said.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Army is monitoring those who have reported connections with the New People's Army (NPA). (GYM)