AUGMENTATION. Personnel from the Police Regional Office based in Cebu City (PRO7) provide additional security during the release of government assistance in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental province in this undated photo. The Comelec is requesting the creation of a police regional office in the Negros Island Region (NIR) for the upcoming elections. (Photo by Mary Judaline Flores Partlow)
DUMAGUETE CITY — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the Negros Island Region (NIR) is seeking the creation of a Philippine National Police (PNP) regional office to bolster security measures for the coming May 2025 polls.
At present, the police setup may not be enough for the elections’ security requirements, lawyer Lionel Marco Castillano told the Philippine News Agency on Wednesday.
The PNP in the provinces of Negros Oriental and Siquijor are currently under the operational control of the Police Regional Office based in Cebu City (PRO 7).
On the other hand, the Negros Occidental PNP is still reporting to the PRO 6.
As such, the Comelec cannot yet convene the NIR Regional Joint Security Coordinating Center, Castillano said.
This means Castillano will be attending both RJSCCs in Regions 6 and 7.
“Following the signing of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the NIR, we hope that the PNP hierarchy would act immediately on the creation of a police regional office before the election period begins in January,” he said.
Negros Oriental Governor Manuel Sagarbarria signed the IRR with Department of the Interior and Local Government regional director Dennis Villaseñor on Tuesday at the Capitol here.
The Comelec-NIR hinted that Negros Oriental may be placed under Comelec control considering the intense political rivalry during past elections. (PNA)
