PNP ups security for Ambuklao, Binga Dams, infra works

By Redjie Melvic M. Cawis

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- The Benguet police is enhancing preparations for the May 13 automated polls even as the province has been known to be peaceful during elections. 

During the recent provincial command conference for Baguio City and Benguet, the Benguet provincial police office presented the deployment and security plan which puts into priority vital installations and infrastructures in the province including the Binga and Ambuklao Dams. 

BPPO director Senior Supt. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said  Benguet police is ready to implement the plan. 

“We have to consider the security of the vital installations in Benguet, specifically the Ambuklao and Binga dams which are source of power and electricity that is very important during the May 13 elections,” said Azurin. 

He said although the Philippine National Police is not seeing any threats to the vital installations in the province and the people, they should remain vigilant to ensure that the May elections will be peaceful, orderly and fair. 

The police chief said the police force will be deploying almost 400 personnel to polling centers in schools, municipal halls at the provincial capitol. 

He said that the BPPO will provide security starting from the transport and delivery of the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines to the different poling centers until retrieval of the machines after the elections. 

They will be working closely with the AIR21, the official cargo partner of the Commission on Elections on the logistics, and plan how to deliver the PCOS and other election materials to the areas of Benguet, particularly those which can only be reached by passing through the Ilocos Region such as Barangay Kayapa in Bakun via Ilocos Sur and Barangay Ansagan in Tuba via Binalonan, Pangasinan, he added. 

Azurin said they could offer their vehicles to transport the PCOS machines and other election materials to polling precincts that are hard to reach.

He said police would remain apolitical in the elections.