The Philippine Army will not allow armed groups to influence the outcome of the May 13 elections, as they will also remain apolitical, its chief of staff, Maj. Gen. Maximo Caro, said at Camp Major Nelson Gerona, in Murcia town, yesterday.

“We cannot afford to be partisan to anyone,” Caro, who attended the launching of the 303 rd Infantry Brigade Wellness Program, said.

He said the Philippine Army will ensure the sacredness of each individual vote, which should be free from any influence of armed groups.

Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz, regional police director of Western Visayas, said power transmission lines, communication towers and other vital installations, either private or public, with bearing on the success of the May 13 elections will be under the watch of the police.

“We cannot be complacent. We will make sure that threat groups, like the rebels and criminals, will be denied opportunity to disrupt the elections,” he said.

The Western Visayas police is also deploying 90 percent of its more than 9,000 personnel on election duties in Negros Occidental, Panay and Guimaras.

Cruz said the security coverage will be complimented by the strategic deployment of personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines .

Col. Jon Aying, 303 rd Infantry Brigade commander, said they have adopted a four-phase methodology to ensure the peaceful conduct of elections in Negros Occidental, in tandem with the Philippine National Police and Commission on Election.

“We must be able to shape the situation, deter armed threats against the electorate and the politicians, dominate the situation in time of election, and have a peaceful proclamation, and assumption of office of the legitimate winners of the election,” Aying said.

He added that they are now distributing 135,000 leaflets enjoining Negrenses to immediately report sightings of lawless elements who may disrupt the election process.

During the election, Aying said they will focus on three areas of concern, to secure which are, voting centers, PCOS machines, COMELEC personnel, voters as well as routes.

To the candidates, there should be closure after the election. “Whatever we hurled against our political opponents, we should forgive and forget, in order to start a new episode in the peace and development of the province,” he said.* GPB

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