BUTUAN CITY – The Police Regional Office in the Caraga Region (PRO-13) has assured the public of its readiness for the start of the campaign period for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in the area, which will run from Oct. 19 to 29.
“Security measures are in place to ensure that the campaign period will be safe and peaceful," Maj. Jennifer Ometer, PRO-13 information office chief, said in an interview on Thursday.
Ometer said a majority of the 1,311 barangays in the region are considered “green hotspots” which indicate that there is no cause for concern in these areas for the conduct of the BSKE.
At least 151 barangays in the region are categorized as “orange areas” due to the presence of the New People’s Army rebels, while 18 are labeled as “yellow areas” due to the previous history of election-related violence.
Ometer said security measures will be implemented based on the categories of barangays with the support of force multipliers and the other security sectors in the government, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
In a statement on Thursday, PRO-13 director Brig. Gen. Kirby John Kraft said among the security measures to be undertaken during the campaign period include the intensification of law enforcement and public safety operations.
Police personnel with relatives running for BSKE posts, Kraft said, have been reassigned to other units to guarantee a transparent and impartial public service during the conduct of activities related to the political exercise.
“The peace and order situation in the region is generally peaceful despite a few places being categorized as areas of concern. We also encourage the cooperation of the civilians to report and inform us of any suspicious elements or unusual activities in their communities,” he said. (PNA)
