BRIGADIER General Jay Cumigad, director of Police Regional Office 8 (Eastern Visayas), led the recognition ceremony for the 101 police personnel who served as members of the Special Electoral Board during the May 12, 2025, midterm polls in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“You demonstrated the professionalism and integrity of PRO 8. Your role as Electoral Board members was vital to the success, peace, and honesty of the BARMM elections,” said Cumigad during the ceremony at the Camp Ruperto Kangleon, Palo, Leyte on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.
“Today, we welcome you not just as police officers, but as public servants who helped protect the very foundation of our democracy. Not everyone is given the opportunity to serve in a region with complex security challenges,” he added.
The delegation was composed of 100 police non-commissioned officers (PNCOs) who were trained as Electoral Board personnel, and one police commissioned officer (PCO), who acted as contingent commander.
During the ceremony, Cumigad and members of the police regional command group awarded the Merit Medal (Medalya ng Kagalingan) to the 101 personnel in recognition of their outstanding service.
“We are deeply thankful to Police Regional Director Cumigad for the support, from transportation to the continued assistance of the Regional Operations Division in responding to our needs and concerns. It wasn’t easy, but we overcame it because of that support,” said Major Neil Fernando Cerdeña, contingent commander.
In a statement, Cerdeña said the experience “strengthened our camaraderie, especially with our colleagues from Police Regional Office 1 and other units.”
The Eastern Visayas police personnel served for 20 days to ensure the safe and orderly conduct of elections in their assigned areas in BARMM, including Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, and Tawi-Tawi. (Ronald Reyes. SunStar Philippines)