The Philippine National Police (PNP) have started to secure several barangays (villages) in the Visayas and Mindanao, including the seven towns in Lanao del Sur, where thousands of voters were disenfranchised as no elections were held in the areas on May 10 due to security problems.

PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa said he had already instructed the police commanders in Iloilo, Western Samar, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, and Sarangani to place on standby the policemen and soldiers in the designated voting centers until the voting is scheduled by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

In Basilan, residents of at least eight villages failed to vote due to security problems while the same incident occurred in three clustered precincts in Sarangani, Iloilo and Western Samar.

No elections were held in the towns as Lumba-Bayabao, Masiu, Sultan Domalondong, Lumbaka Unayan, Tubaran, Marogoy and Bayang in Lanao del Sur after election officials did not show up on May 10.

“The designated Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) in those areas did not show up, as a result no elections were held,” said Verzosa.

Verzosa said they are currently waiting for the instruction of the Comelec as to when the voting will be held on those areas.

“We are ready to secure those areas, we have spare personnel because the elections in almost all part of the country were already done so maybe we can provide even a battalion for each of these areas if they request it,” said Verzosa.

What is important for both the police and military, Verzosa said, is to make sure that all those people in the areas where no elections were held would be given the opportunity to exercise their democratic rights to suffrage.

So far, the Comelec is yet to schedule the date of the election in the said areas.