Nueva Ecija police director Col. Jess Mendez hosts a boodle fight as thanksgiving to SAF troopers who augmented the local police during the election period. Contributed photo
CABANATUAN CITY – Some government and police officials underscored the gains in safeguarding the polls, virtually bidding goodbye to the province’s hot spot image, as the election period nears its ends.
Lawyer Fernando Cot-om, provincial election supervisor, said they can even start preparations for the listing of new voters despite the interest of some newly elected officials to have the barangay and sangguniang kabataan elections in December postponed anew.
Notwithstanding a reported encounter between supporters of rival politicians in Gen. Tinio and tension in San Antonio towns, the Nueva Ecija police led by Col. Jess Mendez have kept the conduct of elections free from violence, Cot-om noted.
“Masasabi ko na naging matagumpay tayo,” Cot-om said. “Walang nakarating sa ating office, walang narinig sa mga balita na may namatay.”
This was on top of fast transmittal of results owing to vote counting machines.
Meanwhile, Mendez treated members of the Special Action Force (SAF) to a boodle fight for their “selfless service towards SAFE in the province.”
Mayor Nerivi Martinez of Talavera and Liga ng mga Barangay president. Nerito Santos also hosted a boodle fight on Tuesday as she lauded Mendez and his men and village peacekeepers.
“Ito ay bilang pasasalamat sa kanilang serbisyo at pagsisikap upang ang bayan ng Talavera ay makapagdaos ng isang maayos, payapa at ligtas na halalan,” Martinez said.
The mayor also distributed mobile phones to each of the peacekeepers’ chief.
