SEND OFF. Maj. Alexander Pardo, Regional Chaplain at the Police Regional Office-Cordillera (PROCor), on Monday (Oct. 23, 2023) blessed the troops sent off to their respective assignment to perform election duty. An initial 333 personnel from the PROCor and the Armed Forces of the Philippines have been identified to serve as augmentation and standby forces to secure the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Election on Oct. 30. (PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot)
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – A total of 333 policemen from the Police Regional Office-Cordillera (PROCor) and troopers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) were sent off to various provinces in the region on Monday to ensure peace and order.
PROCor said that of the total, 30 personnel came from the AFP; 41 from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion; Special Weapons, Arms and Tactics, 16; Explosives and Ordnance Division, 13; Civil Disturbance Management (CDM), 76; Regional Highway Patrol Unit (RHPU), 5; Regional Communication and Electronics Unit (RCEU), 5; and Reactionary Standby Support Force (RSSF), 147.
It said 100 policemen from the RSSF are bound for the province of Abra while the others are off to replace personnel relieved from their posts for having relatives who are running for an elective position. The others are standby personnel for immediate deployment once needed.
“The people of the Cordillera need you. As you are deployed, do not loosen your guard, maintain discipline and professionalism, and always be apolitical,” PROCor regional director BGen. David Peredo said in his message during the send-off ceremony held at Camp Major Bado Dangwa here.
“Let us be vigilant, and strictly monitor the ground to prevent any untoward incidents,” he said, noting that in the past elections “we have proven that we can be peaceful.”
BGen. Santiago Enginco, commander of the 503rd Brigade of the Philippine Army also encouraged the troops to “stay firm and focused” and noted that “this is part of regular activity and assignment given to us.” (PNA)
