Almost 600 policemen served as Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) in Cotabato City and some polling precincts in the province of Maguindanao, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Monday, May 9.
Police Brig. Gen. Arthur Cabalona, director of the Police Regional Office- Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, said all of the voting precincts in Cotabato City were manned by PNP personnel who were trained before as BEIs in anticipation of worse-case scenarios during the elections.
"All voting precincts in Cotabato (City) are facilitated by PNP personnel. Of the 175 voting precincts, all of these are manned by PNP personnel and this means times three (number of precincts multiplied by three policemen as BEIs)," said Cabalona.
In Maguindanao, he said they deployed a total of 47 policemen as BEIs in some polling precincts.
The PNP earlier subjected 988 of its personnel to BEI refresher course. The intention is for them to serve as BEIs in case teachers would not show up during the election day. Almost all of them have already served as BEIs before.
In other parts of BAR, Cabalona said the voting went on smoothly.
"In the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, we have 100 percent conduct of voting," said Cabalona.
He confirmed reports of disruption and violence on the mainland part of BAR which includes Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur.
"But so far, overall for the whole region we have 99.58 percent of all voting centers precincts having their voting," said Cabalona.
Based on their data, Cabalona said only five voting precincts have not yet started the voting as of 4 p.m.-- all in Tuburan town which experienced delay in the delivery of ballots.