A 786 composite force was deployed Wednesday, May 4, to render election security duty in different parts of the region.

The deployment came after the security contingent and their equipment were turned over to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and received by lawyer Monalisa Mamukid, Comelec regional director.

Police Brigadier General Franco Simborio, Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula director, said the composite security force consisted of policemen, soldiers, and coast guard personnel.

"These personnel will serve as security contingents to intensify the security efforts of the government during the election period," Simborio said.

As a tradition before the send-off, the troops and equipment were blessed by Lieutenant Colonel Joselito Borja, the PRO-Zamboanga Peninsula chaplain.

The Regional Joint Control Center (RJCC) has so far identified 44 areas of concern in the entire region.

Of the total, 15 areas are classified as red category; orange, 14; and yellow, 15.

The red category are election areas of grave concern, while the orange and yellow categories are election areas of immediate concern and election areas of concern, respectively. (SunStar Zamboanga)