Dinagat Islands is
generally peaceful as May polls set tomorrow
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, May 12
(PIA) –- The entire province is generally peaceful a day before the midterm
elections, an officer of the province of Dinagat Islands
said.
Information Officer Jane
Mayola in an interview over 107.8 Power FM said the peace and order situation
remains normal as the Dinagatnons prepare for the election.
Mayola said there were
no reports of election-related incidents and vote-buying in the province.
She added that since
this year’s election in the province is a battle between the Ecleo mother and
daughter, the people of Dinagat are optimistic that tomorrow’s election will be
peaceful and in order.
With the campaign period
over, Mayola said candidates of both political parties have also rested their
campaign sorties.
“This shows that all
candidates have adhered to the guidelines set by the Commission on Elections,”
she said.
When asked on her
opinion on the deployment of 84 security forces from the Philippine National
Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Mayola said this is normal.
“This is just but normal
to all places in the country since our government upholds peace and security at
all times, especially during the conduct of election. This is to ensure the
sanctity of the votes of the general public,” she said.
Mayola is hopeful that
peace and security will remain to be observed in the entire province as they
will choose for their new leader tomorrow, May 13. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
Butuan Comelec chief says everything set for
Monday’s polls
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, May 12 (PIA) -- Commission on
Elections (Comelec) - Butuan assured the voting public that everything is set
for the conduct of the 2013 midterm elections on Monday, May 13.
During “Comelec Hour” aired over 107.8 Power FM,
Comelec-Butuan chief Ernie Palanan said all their personnel and the Board of
Election Inspectors (BEIs) from the Department of Education (DepEd) are now
ready.
“It pays to have made detailed preparations
ahead of time… though we have observed minor glitches in the process but it is
still considered manageable,” Palanan said.
He said should it be sunny or rainy tomorrow,
they have already installed tents in front of the Comelec Office. BEIs were
also asked to put chairs outside the precincts for waiting voters.
Security-wise, the Comelec has already
coordinated with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National
Police, he said.
Aside from these concerns, Palanan also said
that countable forms needed have already distributed to the different
barangays.
He also commended the City Treasurer’s Office
for coming up with a system to retrieve necessary data and information,
particularly the election canvass forms. He hopes that same system will be
implemented in the different voting precincts on Monday.
According to him, the public is enjoined to
contact the Comelec Office should they have any inquiries, complaints, or if
they need assistance.
Palanan assured the public that no complaints
will be left unattended. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
Buenavista PNP confiscates fake bills
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, May 12 (PIA) -- Members of the
Municipal Police Office in Buenavista town in Agusan del Norte confiscated fake
one thousand bills, a day before the May 13, 2013 midterm elections.
Buenavista Municipal Chief of Police Insp. Jared
Charles Joaquin in an interview with 107.8 Power FM today confirmed that they
confiscated 15 pcs. of counterfiet one thousand bills.
The PNP municipal director added that one of the
suspects was caught in possession of counterfeit bills, amounting to P2,000 on
Saturday night.
Joaquin said they received a report that an
individual in Barangay 2 has distributed fake cash at around 11:30 p.m.
He added they were able to convince those who
have received the money to surrender the bills to their office while police
officers immediately conducted an investigation which resulted to the
apprehension of the suspect.
“Those who have received were considered
witnesses of the crime committed by the suspect,” Joaquin said.
Joaquin said that as of this report, they are
still going after other individuals who were reported distributing the same.
He added the witnesses are willing to execute
affidavit against the perpetrators.
The apprehended suspect, who is a barangay
Kagawad in one of the barangays in Buenavista town, is now in jail for filing
of appropriate case. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
Agusan del Norte PNP assures peaceful election
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, May 12 (PIA) – The provincial police
office in Agusan del Norte assured the people of a peaceful election on Monday.
In an interview over Philippine Information
Agency’s (PIA’s) 107.8 Power FM, today, Agusan del Norte Police Provincial
Director PSSupt. Eugene Paguirigan pointed out that their preparation is now on
its final stretch as they have already deployed police force in different areas
in the province.
He said they have been conducting field
visitations to see to it that everything is put in place. “We have been
fielding police officers in all areas in the province and right now, we are
visiting them to ensure proper coordination with our end.”
Paguirigan said the Provincial Comelec Office
and local government units in all municipalities in the province have been
regularly coordinating with them saying that this is a welcome development to
ensure peace and order.
“The convergence of government agencies and
security forces is a welcome development as we aimed to achieve zero-casualty
during the election,” he said.
Paguirigan also admitted that they have been
receiving reports that distribution of counterfeit bills intended for political
purposes are also happening in the municipality of Nasipit, the neighboring
municipality of Buenavista in Agusan del Norte where a Barangay Kagawad was
caught in the possession of fake two pieces of one thousand bill at around
11:30 p.m. on Saturday.
The official further stressed that the said
barangay official, who is presently detained at Buenavista Police Station, will
only be freed upon filing of bail bond. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
PNP Surigao del Norte intensifies security
measures for tomorrow’s polls
BUTUAN CITY, May 12 (PIA) – To ensure a peaceful
conduct of the midterm elections in Surigao del Norte tomorrow, May 13, the
government’s police force is strengthening its security measures.
This was learned from Surigao del Norte Police
Provincial Director PSSupt Ruel Obusan during the interview over 107.8 Power FM
of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-Caraga which is also the official
radio station of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC)-Butuan City.
According to PSSupt Obusan, to date, they have
been conducting regular checkpoints at the entrance and exit points of the
province. It was noted that the province is the gateway of the people from the
Visayan Region to Mindanao.
Obusan said military personnel have been
coordinating with the police force in the conduct of checkpoints together with
some COMELEC personnel.
The official revealed that since the arrival of
the Precinct Count Optical Scans (PCOS) machines in their area of responsibility,
joint forces from the police and military is closely watching and monitoring
the machines.
He added the security forces of the government
will be escorting the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) in transporting the
election paraphernalia before and after the election. “This is to ensure the
public that their votes are properly taken cared of,” Obusan said.
The PNP official said violation of Comelec gun
ban as well as vote-buying are among their main concerns and they are
closely-monitoring on it.
Obusan added despite of the gun ban, a suspect
was apprehended when he fired his gun on Saturday in Surigao City. It was
learned that a case was already filed against the suspect.
On the issue of proliferation of the
distribution of counterfeit bills, the official said as of press time, no
report of such activity that is going on in the province. “So far, we have not
received any complaints regarding this at present,” Obusan said.
The official said with the preparations they
have made, he is optimistic that the conduct of an honest orderly and peaceful
elections tomorrow will be achieved. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
