By Mike U. Crismundo
Butuan City – State security forces in Northeastern Mindanao or Caraga region on Wednesday started to lay out plans to ensure the peaceful and orderly conduct of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on May 14.
Regional officials from the Regional Joint Security Coordinating Center (RJSCC), composed of Northeastern Mindanao Police Regional Office 13 (PRO 13), Army’s Northeastern and Northern Mindanao Fourth Infantry Division (4th ID) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec), started activating the respective tasks in the areas of jurisdictions of the concerned agencies.
Top police and the military commanders also started comparing notes on the current security, peace and threat situation in the region.
In the first RJSCC first meeting slated today, the officials will consolidate all the security plans and programs for proper implementation in the mid-year polls.
Members of the RJSCC said more command conferences will be conducted in preparation for the twin election undertaking.
No specific security threat has been reported, but authorities are anticipating terror groups, like the New People’s Army (NPA) and other organized criminal groups will try to sabotage the village and SK polls, some members of the RJSCC said.
The RJSCC will also discuss security protocols and the measures to take should violence cripple the conduct of the elections in the different polling centers.
The RJSCC will also identify “high- risk” areas in the region during elections in the succeeding meetings as provincial and city police directors are already tasked to monitor their respective areas of responsibilities and submit their assessment, Comelec 13 Regional Director Atty. Francisco Pobe said.