By Glazyl Masculino
BACOLOD CITY – The additional security forces deployed in the town of Moises Padilla, which was tagged as a hotspot and placed under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the recently-concluded midterm elections, will remain even after the election period ends on June 12.
Soldiers were deployed in Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental after the town was placed under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on May 6, following killings in the town during the campaign period. (GLAZYL MASCULINO / MANILA BULLETIN)
This was disclosed by Brig. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde), following the request of the newly-elected officials to retain the government forces, which could maintain peace and order in the town.
The deployment of additional security forces came after the town was placed under the control of the Comelec, following series of killings of candidates during the campaign period.
Last month, two reelectionist councilors, including the nephew of Vice Mayor and now Mayor-elect Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo, were killed while her brother also died in an ambush.
Arevalo said there was a need to retain the soldiers in the area for security reasons.
He, however, said they will still have to assess the number of more troops they will assign in the town.
At present, more than 300 additional military and police personnel are deployed in the town, aside from the 200 existing security forces.
Since the deployment of the forces, no violent incidents have been reported until now.