Candidates running for top Kalinga posts surrender guns

By Larry T. Lopez

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Candidates running for top positions in the province recently surrendered their firearms for tape-sealing even as the Commission on Election sees peaceful conduct of the May 9 elections in the province.  

Efraim Orodio, running for provincial board member, Gelacio Bongngat for vice governor and Camilo Lammawin for congressman brought their guns to the police provincial office for sealing. 

Provincial Election Supervisor Dexter Barry Cawis bared this urging more candidates in the province to take the same step after conference with Army and Philippine National Police.

According to Cawis, there was no identified armed group in the province that could disrupt the conduct of orderly elections.

Our peace troopers in the province had assured full control of the situation in the coming elections, he reported.

Based on the peace evaluation in the area, the joint peace force of the Army and police in Kalinga shall deploy 1 security officer in every polling center. Kalinga has 200 voting centers in the May elections.

But if situation demands, the number of security personnel deployed can be augmented, Cawis said.

As shown in previous election situation record, there had been no particular place in the province that was placed under Comelec watch. 

In a related report, three candidates for local posts, here, voluntarily heeded Comelec’s call for peaceful and safe elections by submitting their licensed firearms for tape-sealing.

Meanwhile, Kalinga needs 267 voters counting machines in the May polls.
Cawis informed that a VCM has a capacity of 800 voters, and the province has 121,327 registered voters.

Together with the VCMs, Kalinga also needs generator sets for at least 80 clustered precincts that are not yet energized, Cawis said.