SAN PABLO CITY, Laguna, (PNA) -– San Pablo City Chief of Police Supt. Ericson D. Diaz assured city residents and electorates here on Thursday that the conduct of the forthcoming barangay elections will be peaceful, calm and orderly.
Supt. Diaz made the assurance for intensified secure, fair, peaceful and orderly elections following the cops’ experience here during the May mid-term elections.
Diaz, however, said there are crimes that could happen anytime, but cops are deployed and would provide visibility to curb them.
The city police chief assured that the city cops with the help of some civic groups and concerned citizens here will discharge their duties to protect the residents.
“Our police will exercise neutrality and discharge its mandate to help the Comelec and the DILG campaign for an honest, secured, peaceful and orderly barangay election,” Supt. Diaz said.
The city police enforce their operational mandate following the barangay election period which began September 28 until November 12 this year.
Police here also assured to tighten operational security efforts especially as aspiring village chiefs and local council members would start filing their certificates of candidacy from October 15 to 17.
Supt. Diaz also pointed out that they will act on the basis of proof and the rules of evidence especially on the elections prohibited acts.
The local Comelec office here also reiterated that the scheduled barangay campaign period is from October 18 to 26 and emphasized the poll body’s rule on “no campaign” on October 27 or the eve of the elections.
Malacañang has declared the barangay election which falls on a Monday (Oct. 28) a non-working holiday as voters will troop to the polling places to cast their ballots starting 7 a.m. until 3 p.m.