1Lt. Mark Andrew Posadas, 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army (PA)’s spokesperson holds a pin up which says, “AFP for Credible Elections.” (Photo by TARA YAP)

DUMAGUETE CITY (PNA) – Negros Oriental Provincial Police Director Sr. Supt. Augusto Marquez Jr. last Saturday asked new members of the Regional Public Safety Management Battalion-7 (RPSMB-7) to maintain neutrality as they begin their election duty in the province.

“I have underscored the instructions of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief and the PNP regional director that the law must be enforced without fear or favor,” underlined Marquez.

He issued his call during the reception of two RPSMB-7 maneuver platoons, comprising 66 men and women personnel who had just completed the recruitment course of the PNP and now carry the rank of Police Officer 1 last Saturday.

Their deployment to Negros Oriental for election duty is their initial field test mission and they shall be attached to the RPSMB’s 1st Company composed of another four platoons now based in Mabinay town.

The arrival of the RPSMB-7 maneuver teams is aimed at augmenting police stations in areas that are identified as under the election watch list.

Starting this week, the RPSMB-7 troops will be divided into teams to be assigned to those areas, including the cities of Kanlaon and Guihulngan and the towns of Vallehermoso and La Libertad, all in Negros Oriental’s 1st Congressional district.

Marquez said such district shall be under close watch by both the police and the military during the election period due to the presence of insurgents, partisan armed groups and for having election-related violent incidents in past elections.

Also, where the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and PNP’s Joint Security Control Center is concerned, the 1st District is the most critical area in Negros Oriental during the election period.

Marquez met with RPSMB-7 Commander Sr. Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas last Monday to finalize deployment and other related concerns of the maneuver troops.

The Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (NOPPO) will also initially provide 50 M-16 Armalite rifles and thousands of rounds of ammunition to the troops, said Marquez, adding that he will be requesting additional firearms from the regional police office.

Meanwhile, the police official underlined the need to infuse more police troops even in areas where the Philippine Army (PA) is present, as the latter’s main function is on internal security operations.

The PA’s 1st Scout Ranger Battalion is based in Kanlaon while the 11th Infantry Battalion is based in Guihulngan.

RPSMB-7 Commander Lawas said that he is also fielding two platoons each to the northern part of Cebu and Bohol provinces for election duty.

Lawas assured that he still has enough personnel for deployment to more areas in Central Visayas if necessary. He however said they lack firearms, and thus the need for the provincial police offices to provide these to his maneuver troops.

He expressed gratitude to COMELEC for supporting the PNP’s requirements in carrying its election duty.

He also said that while the rookie cops fielded here for election duty have not undergone Special Counter-insurgency Unit Training (SCOUT), they are already capable of performing police and law enforcement functions.