The Eastern Police District (EPD) said Monday that security measures are now in place to protect thousands of precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines and ballot boxes that will be used during the computerized elections in the eastern side of Metro Manila on May 10.

Elsewhere, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) instructed the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to provide all necessary assistance in the nationwide delivery of ballots and PCOS machines.

As this developed, 19,722 soldiers will have the chance to exercise their right of suffrage when they cast their votes as absentee voters this week in various Commission on Elections–designated polling centers nationwide.

Likewise, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) was placed on blue alert effective Monday, as part of the preparations to ensure the conduct of an honest, orderly, and peaceful electoral process.

Lt. Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr., Armed Forces spokesman, said that of the total number of military absentee voters nationwide, 1,400 are in the National Capital Region (NCR).

In a report presented by Chief Superintendent Benjardi H. Mantele, the EPD district director, said a security plan has already been designed by the police in the transport of the thousands of PCOS machines and ballot boxes that will take place from April 28 to May 4.

Mantele said the four EPD police stations in Marikina, Pasig, Mandaluyong, and San Juan will help in the security plan set-up by the district by providing mobile cars equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) and police escorts who are armed with long firearms for government trucks that will deliver the PCOS machines and ballot boxes at a secured warehouse in Tandang Sora, Barangay Culiat, Quezon City.

The EPD chief also assured that the mobile cars, that will escort the trucks from Cabuyao, Laguna and Port Area in Manila to Tandang Sora, Quezon City up until to its delivery to the polling centers, will be in good running condition.

Acting DoTC Secretary Anneli Lontoc, meanwhile, ordered PCG commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo to direct Coast Guard units nationwide to give all necessary aid, particularly on security matters on the distribution of the PCOS machines and official ballots to the different regions in the country.

Lontoc said that the Coast Guard must provide “uninterrupted conveyance” assistance so that all election paraphernalia will be delivered on time to all consignees before the final testing and sealing on PCOS Machines on May 7.

Thus, cargo vessels which are owned by certain forwarding services authorized by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) such as Argo Forwarders, Inc., Ace Logitics, Inc., and Germalin Enterprises, Inc. will be escorted by Coast Guard personnel until all shipments have been delivered nationwide.

The Comelec sought the aid of the DoTC based on Republic Act 8716, seeking the said department and its attached bureau such as the Coast Guard for the deployment of subject equipment and paraphernalia.

Tamayo also disclosed that some local election officials, particularly in remote areas such as Palawan and parts of Northern Luzon specifically the Batanes Group of Islands, also requested assistance in the distribution of the voting machines.

Tamayo added that since some of those areas or islands didn’t have a sea port and only small Coast Guard vessels can dock in those places, they have received request that they will be the one to deliver the machines in those remote areas.

In the military absentee voting, Burgos said the date when the soldiers will be allowed to cast their votes has yet to be determined. But he said it may take place anytime between April 28 to 30. Manual voting, however, will be used. (With a report from Elena L. Aben)