CABANATUAN CITY – The provincial police office has this one goal: have Nueva Ecija deleted from the list of election hotspots after the May 2010 elections.
Senior Supt. Ricardo Marquez, director of the Nueva Ecija police provincial office (NEPPO), expressed determination to implement every rule to make the forthcoming synchronized national and local elections peaceful, honest and orderly. “This will pave the way for the removal of the province from being an area of immediate concern.”
He noted that one of the things considered to being a hot spot is its history of violence during elections.
“We will enforce the law. That’s all we will do,” said Marquez.
He disclosed that his office would request some 2,000 to 2,500 additional forces to augment its strength during the election period.
Marquez said that police personnel in Nueva Ecija would be short to guard at least 740 polling precincts considering that many of them are detailed in securing candidates. NEPPO has some 1,500 policemen, it was learned.
Each polling precinct would need two cops on the election day, Marquez said.
While the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) allow only two security personnel per candidate, Nueva Ecija has over a hundred candidates vying for various positions especially mayoral posts in 27 towns and five cities, 10 members of the provincial board and office of the governor.
Marquez also said that they are now talking with religious groups the prospect of having candidates sign a peace covenant. “Some men really honor their signature,” he said.
“We have to work together in order to erase the tag that Nueva Ecija is an election hot spot,” he said.
Senior Supt. Ricardo Marquez, director of the Nueva Ecija police provincial office (NEPPO), expressed determination to implement every rule to make the forthcoming synchronized national and local elections peaceful, honest and orderly. “This will pave the way for the removal of the province from being an area of immediate concern.”
He noted that one of the things considered to being a hot spot is its history of violence during elections.
“We will enforce the law. That’s all we will do,” said Marquez.
He disclosed that his office would request some 2,000 to 2,500 additional forces to augment its strength during the election period.
Marquez said that police personnel in Nueva Ecija would be short to guard at least 740 polling precincts considering that many of them are detailed in securing candidates. NEPPO has some 1,500 policemen, it was learned.
Each polling precinct would need two cops on the election day, Marquez said.
While the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) allow only two security personnel per candidate, Nueva Ecija has over a hundred candidates vying for various positions especially mayoral posts in 27 towns and five cities, 10 members of the provincial board and office of the governor.
Marquez also said that they are now talking with religious groups the prospect of having candidates sign a peace covenant. “Some men really honor their signature,” he said.
“We have to work together in order to erase the tag that Nueva Ecija is an election hot spot,” he said.
