by: Rodrigo S. Victoria
NAVAL, Biliran (PIA) – “Generally peaceful”. This is how the top police official in the province of Biliran perceive of the upcoming May 9, 2016 synchronized national and local elections in the province.
His general observation is based on the actual survey conducted at the grassroots level submitted to his office coming from the different police stations.
“There is no imminent clash between big political groups for this year’s elections as the top posts like in the congressional and gubernatorial candidates and other contested municipal posts are unopposed”, Police Senior Superintendent (PSSupt) Lito Turalba Bigoy, provincial director of the Biliran Police Provincial Office (BPPO) said in an interview at the BPPO Camp located in Barangay Larrazabal in this town.
PSSupt Bigoy further said that their contingency measures and plans for the 2016 elections are in place despite the perceived report of a peaceful situation of elections in Biliran province.
He revealed that the municipality of Kawayan is placed in election watch list under category 1 by the regional office of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Eastern Visayas in the 2016 elections.
A certain locality is placed under Category 1 when an election related-incident occurred in the area in the previous elections.
“We will not be complacent with the situation but will still continue to provide the necessary measures to ensure and achieve an orderly and peaceful conduct of the elections here in the province of Biliran,”the BPPO chief added.
The BPPO started the conduct of checkpoint in the different areas of the eight towns in the province of Biliran at 12:00 o’clock midnight of January 9, 2016 as the election period already took effect on January 10, 2016 nationwide.
PSSupt. Bigoy reminded the public to refrain from bringing firearm outside of their respective homes or in public places even if it is licensed, has permit to carry or order to bring or carry from law enforcement agencies as all of these are suspended as the total gun ban took effect on January 10, 2016.
Bladed weapons are likewise not allowed to be brought in public places as it is also prohibited under recent election guideline, he added. # (PIA 8 Biliran)
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