BACOLOD CITY – Police in Negros Occidental may serve as poll workers in case teachers affected by a possible eruption of Kanlaon Volcano fail to fulfill their duty during the elections.

Atty. Ian Lee Ananoria, provincial election supervisor, said that training policemen as electoral board members is part of the contingency plans of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in response to Kanlaon.

Ananoria said their contingency plans are already in place in Kanlaon-affected areas in the province. “We have prepared alternative polling places under Alert Level 3,” he added.

Under Alert Level 3, approximately 21,393 voters are anticipated to vote in polling areas near evacuation centers in the cities of Bago, La Carlota, and San Carlos, as well as the towns of La Castellana, Murcia, Moises Padilla, and Pontevedra.

However, further adjustments will be made under Alert Level 4, including the establishment of makeshift polling centers, as voting centers will be relocated to local government units where evacuees are being moved, he said. 

The Comelec projected the number of displaced voters to 81,385 as the danger zone extends from six to 10 kilometers under Alert Level 4. 

Ananoria said that the number of police and military personnel in the province are sufficient to secure the elections. 

But it will depend if the situation of the volcano escalates as there will be personnel who will be utilized for disaster response.

Last month, the Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 (Central Visayas) deployed an additional 200 personnel to boost disaster response efforts and ensure smooth operations for the elections in Negros Oriental.

Police Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, PRO-7 director, visited the province and met  personnel to address security issues and collaborate on initiatives designed to enhance public safety, improve disaster response efforts, and ensure a well-coordinated operation during the elections.