THE Commission on Elections-Davao Region (Comelec-Davao) clarified that it has not received any request for the transfer of 238 police personnel from the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) for the 2025 National and Local Elections and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) Parliamentary Elections.
This statement follows concerns sparked by a DCPO memorandum that many Dabawenyos believed indicated another round of personnel transfers.
Comelec-Davao's assistant regional director lawyer Gay Enumerables, confirmed during the Davao Peace and Security Press Corps briefing on February 19 that any deployment decisions rest with the agency’s central office.
“Wala mi kadawat. Kasi pag transfer o detail, kailangan talaga. But so far sa pagka karon wala mi nadawat. If it's an emergency kasi like they will be used as poll watchers doon sa Barmm, Comelec will know kasi sila man kaha ang mag duty didto. But so far sa pagka karon wala (We haven’t received anything. Because transfers or reassignments need to go through Comelec. But so far, as of now, we haven’t received anything. If it’s an emergency, like if they will be deployed as poll watchers in Barmm, Comelec will know because they are the ones who will be on duty there. But as of now, we haven’t received anything,” Enumerables said.
She said that election-related deployments must be coordinated with Comelec, which oversees the electoral process. While DCPO may coordinate with Comelec-Davao, final decisions on personnel movement come from the central office.
On the same day, DCPO clarified that the memorandum in question does not involve reassigning officers to new areas of responsibility (AOR). Instead, the deployment will primarily involve higher-ranking officials, with personnel distributed based on polling station requirements.
DCPO added that ongoing medical evaluations aim to ensure officers' health and fitness for duty, especially in preparation for the upcoming elections. These proactive assessments confirm that police personnel are physically capable of carrying out their responsibilities effectively. DEF