THE elections in Moises Padilla town was peaceful and manageable, said Brigadier General Benedict Arevalo, commander of the 303rd Brigade, Philippine Army.
The peaceful situation prevailed as the military and the Philippine National Police (PNP) closely guarded the area after it was placed under Commission on Elections (Comelec) control.
Comelec Task Force head lawyer Jessie Suarez immediately ordered the dispatch of army troops in some areas which were reportedly barricaded upon the orders of some hacienda owners in Crossing Magallon and Barangay Odiong.
“So far peaceful and very manageable with the deployment of a sizeable number of soldiers and police,” the military top official in Negros said.
He added there was no major incident so far.
They have received information that the New People’s Army has planned to conduct atrocities in some areas in the province of Negros Occidental, so they alerted the military troops, he said.
Police Lieutenant General Fernando Mendez Jr., the deputy chief for administration of the Philippine National Police visited Moises Padilla in order to check the conduct of the elections in the town.
Police Colonel Romeo Baleros, provincial director of Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office and Arevalo welcomed Mendez at NOPPO Headquarters, Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr., after which they proceeded to Moises Padilla via helicopter.
Both the police and army have also conducted aerial inspections in the municipality. (TDE)