The 47th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army has been deployed and is ready to help maintain peace and order during the May 9, 2016 local and national polls and the days leading to it, augmenting the already beefed up forces of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
According to Lt. Col. Jose Dodjie Belloga Jr., commander of the 47th Infantry Battalion stationed in Bohol, the troop is already 100 percent organized and briefed to take necessary actions and secure areas across the province during the elections.
The infantry commander assured the public of the battalion’s speedy mobilization through an interview with DYRD Balita.
Belloga said that troops of the battalion were being deployed since Thursday, April 28, 2016 and will be stationed in 45 towns to aid the PNP in maintaining peace and order during the elections.
The unit will also provide security in the transport of vote counting machines (VCM) and manning checkpoints set up across the province.
Around ten soldiers will be dispatched to secure each municipality excluding Tagbilaran City, as Belloga noted the large contingent of police personnel in the capital.
Since their deployment troops are already working 24 hours a day in securing their designated areas and will continue until the elections come to a close.
Army presence will be heightened in the eight towns under the Commission on Elections (Comelec) election watchlist areas.
On April 22, 2016, the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) passed a resolution requesting the Police Regional Office 7 for more uniformed personnel to augment the current police force in the province.
There are more than 1,500 police personnel in the entire province with each police station having at least 21 officers.
Two policemen will be assigned to secure 1546 precincts in the province while the others will be tasked to overlook the delivery of election paraphernalia.(with reports from Allen Doydora)