CAMP COL. RAFAEL C. RODRIGUEZ, Butuan City – The Police Regional Office-13 said on Monday, April 28, that the Caraga region has 13 areas of concern in the May elections.
“As of this date, mayron po tayong na monitor na 13 areas of concern sa buong Caraga region, and we are still focusing and monitoring these areas,” said PRO-13 Director Police Brig. Gen. Christopher N. Abrahano during a press briefing here.
(We have monitored 13 areas of concern in the Caraga region and we are still focusing and monitoring these areas)
Six are in Surigao del Sur, five in Surigao del Norte, one in Agusan del Sur, and one in Agusan del Norte.
These areas have recorded suspected election-related incidents in the last two elections, making them priority zones for security measures, Abrahano said.
But he said no area in the region is under the red category.
PRO-13 has launched its campaign shifting to a more strict and aggressive law enforcement posture before the elections, PRO 13-Regional Public Information Office (RPIO) chief Police Major Jennifer S. Ometer said.
Ometer said they have deployed more than 1,600 policemen aside from Quick Reaction Forces in the region.
The PRO-13 has arrested 45 gun ban violators and seized 48 firearms from Jan. 12 to the present.
The PRO-13 and its field offices are closely collaborating with the Commission on Elections and other law enforcement agencies in the strict implementation of the gun ban, with checkpoints established in strategic places across the region to make the midterm polls more peaceful and orderly, Ometer said.
Ometer urged people to closely cooperate with the police and law enforcements agencies.