Conduct of National and Local polls in Eastern Mindanao generally peaceful

 

LtGen. Greg T. Almerol, the Commander of EastMinCom, made this assessment due to the absence of election-related violent incidents in his Joint Operational Area during election day.

 

He said that the deployment of Election Security Task Forces (STFs), especially in towns identified as "areas of concern," played an important role in ensuring Secure, Accurate, Free, and Fair Elections (SAFE).

 

It can be recalled that about 13,000 troops were deployed and placed on standby alert by EastMinCom on May 4 to form part of the Election STFs from the Command down to its Battalion levels.

 

Since May 6, troops provided security and transportation in the delivery of election paraphernalia to the different polling centers in Eastern Mindanao to ensure that the election will be unhampered.

 

On election day, ground units of EastMinCom have likewise conducted security patrols and checkpoints in their respective areas of responsibility while LtGen. Almerol was proactive in personally supervising the implementation of security mechanisms with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and Philippine National Police (PNP), and in monitoring EastMinCom's Election Monitoring Action Center (EMAC) down to Battalion levels.

 

He also attributed the peaceful outcome of the elections to the collaborative efforts of different election partners such as the COMELEC, Department of Education, PNP and Philippine Coast Guard by "giving out their best to provide our people a peaceful environment during the election season."

 

"We commend the support of different stakeholders for adhering to the rules and regulations outlined in the conduct of the elections and salute our AFP and PNP personnel for showing out their highest standard of professionalism and integrity in this constitutional exercise," he said.

 

LtGen. Almerol also lauded the strong cooperation of the people of Eastern Mindanao in exercising their democratic rights and securing them from elements who were planning to interfere in the elections.

 

"The people of Eastern Mindanao are also worthy of appreciation for their overwhelming participation in the elections and their support to our security forces, which kept threat groups at bay and made the elections generally peaceful," he added.###

 

 

Source: Public Information Office, Eastern Mindanao Command, AFP