Army all set for election duty; over 16K troops deployed
At A Glance
- The Philippine Army (PA) has deployed a total of 16,489 personnel to support the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in ensuring a peaceful and orderly conduct of the midterm elections on May 12.
- The personnel, including Army officers, enlisted individuals, members of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unity or CAFGU Active Auxiliary (CAA), and reservists, are tasked with securing the safety of voters at 63,663 polling precincts and managing 661 AFP-PNP-Comelec checkpoints nationwide.
- Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, the Army's commanding general, detailed the breakdown of the deployment, with 6,712 members stationed at election checkpoints and another 8,777 personnel securing polling precincts.
- Additionally, 12,377 Army members have been placed on standby alert for possible deployment.
- The initiative is part of a broader effort by the AFP, Comelec, and PNP to prevent violence, intimidation, and electoral sabotage through inter-agency coordination.
- The deployed personnel have undergone extensive briefings and orientations on their legal mandate and operational guidelines, ensuring adherence to the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines.
The Philippine Army (PA) said Monday, May 5, that it deployed 16,489 personnel to augment security forces in ensuring a peaceful and orderly conduct of the upcoming midterm elections next week.
The Army, acting as the main force provider to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to support the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Commission on Elections (Comelec), will assist in guaranteeing the safety of Filipino voters who will troop to 63,663 polling precincts across the country on May 12 and in manning the 661 AFP-PNP-Comelec checkpoints nationwide.
Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, Army commanding general, said 6,712 Army officers, enlisted personnel, members of Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unity or CAFGU Active Auxiliary (CAA), and reservists were mobilized to assist in election checkpoints.
Meanwhile, there were 8,777 Army personnel fielded on the ground to secure polling precincts.
The Army has also placed on standby alert 12,377 personnel for possible deployment.
Galido said the deployment of the Army personnel was part of a wider inter-agency coordination among the AFP, Comelec, and PNP “to preempt and neutralize any threats of violence, intimidation, or electoral sabotage.”
Extensive briefings were also conducted for all deployed Army personnel so they are aware of their legal mandate and the specific guidelines outlined in the approved Philippine Army Guidelines (PAG) based on the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines.
“Our troops have undergone rigorous orientation on their roles during this critical democratic exercise. The Philippine Army is steadfastly committed to ensuring free, honest, and orderly elections,” Galido said.
He emphasized that the Army plays an indispensable role in safeguarding the country’s democratic institutions especially in “red areas” declared by the Comelec.
Red areas refer to those which have a history of election-related violence, intense political rivalry, and threats from rebel groups.
There are at least 34 red areas in the country, according to the PNP, and Comelec Chairman George Garcia raised the possibility that the number would further increase as the polls near.