DUMAGUETE CITY, Sept. 16 (PNA) — Various government agencies and private sector groups on Wednesday gave their assurance to collaborate for the conduct of peaceful, honest and orderly elections on May 9, 2016.
They gave their commitment during the first consultation meeting of the non-partisan Diocesan Electoral Board of the Diocese of Dumaguete, headed by Msgr. Julius Perpetuo Heruela, at the Marian Priests’ Center of the Cathedral compound in this capital city.
Atty. Gildu Agoncillo, election officer of Dumaguete and representing the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to the consultation forum in the absence of provincial election supervisor Atty. Eddie Aba, highlighted the need for collaboration with other government and private groups as the poll body could not possibly handle the electoral process by itself.
“The COMELEC cannot do much without the help of the others, especially the Department of Education, even though we are mandated by law to lead the polls”, said Agoncillo, citing as an example of manpower limitations Dumaguete City where he has only three election assistants.
Agoncillo cited the important role of the Diocesan Electoral Board in providing assistance to the COMELEC to ensure a successful conduct of the 2016 polls, which he describes as a “turning point” where the country must choose a leader that will bring the Philippines “forward”.
Of course, whoever gets elected to the Presidency, he said, rests in the hands of the voters, but organizations and watchdogs such as the DEB and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, the National Movement for Free Elections, and even the media, all play a critical role in the coming elections to test the credibility of the poll body and the election outcome.
The campaign for clean, honest, accurate, meaningful and peaceful (CHAMP) polls is for everybody to support.
On the part of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Sr. Supt. Roy Abella, deputy provincial police director, told the electoral board that they are ready for the 2016 elections and in fact, will be meeting next week in a command conference with police chiefs to discuss next year’s polls.
Abella disclosed that part of the discussions to be headed by OIC provincial police director, Sr. Supt. Dionardo Carlos, will focus on security matters, possible watch list areas most likely to have hotly contested positions, election-related laws such as the gun ban and threat groups, such as private armies, among others.
According to Abella, the PNP in Negros Oriental will once again be in full force once its personnel, who are deployed to Cebu for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2015 ministerial and other meetings, will return to the province.
More than 400 police personnel from Negros Oriental were temporarily assigned in Cebu for the APEC 2015 although 70 percent of them have already back here, Abella added.
In terms of insurgency or internal security threat, the Philippine Army in Negros Oriental believes that the New People’s Army (NPA) does not pose a significant threat to the upcoming elections, said Maj. Dranreb Canto, representing Col. Allan Martin, commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade, who could not make it to Wednesday’s consultation forum due to another pressing appointment.
Maj. Canto assured that they are relentless in carrying out their Internal Security Operations even as the province of Negros Oriental had already been declared conflict manageable and development ready as far as the insurgency threat is concerned.
The Philippine Army will be closely coordinating with the PNP on security matters in the coming months to ensure that the 2016 polls in the province will not be marred by violence, Canto added.
Msgr. Heruela, the convenor of the Diocesan Electoral Board, announced to the body that the nationwide One Good Vote campaign has already been launched in Negros Oriental.
He reiterated that a sitio (sub-village) will be identified soon as pilot area for the One Good Vote campaign where students and youth volunteers are to be deployed for voters’ education and ensure that those living in the said area will not sell their votes in the coming polls.
Also present during the consultation meeting and forum were DEB members who sent representatives such as from the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bishops and Businessmen’s Conference, Negros Oriental 2 Electric Cooperative, Department of Education, Social Action Center, Commission on Youth, diocesan committee for Basic Ecclesial Communities, Kapisanan ng Mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas local chapter and other local media. (PNA)