BAGUIO CITY – The leadership of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) disclosed the city was peaceful and orderly before, during and after the May 9, 2016 general and automated elections sustaining the city’s identity as violent-free in all political exercises through the past several decades.
Senior Superintendent George D. Daskeo, BCPO acting city director, said that several days before and after the elections, police operatives were not able to record gun ban and liquor ban violators because the city’s electorate eagerly awaited for the results of the political exercise.
“We will sustain our peacekeeping efforts in order to maintain peace and order in our city even beyond the election period. We want to extend our gratitude to the people for their utmost cooperation in the stringent policies that were put in place during the election period that resulted in the peaceful and orderly elections,” Daskeo stressed.
It was learned that no less than Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director-General Ricardo Marquez cited the local police force during a recent command conference in Camp Crame, Quezon city for being able to make their presence felt by rallying political, supporters and the voters to make the city peaceful during the campaign period and on election day.
Daskeo cited the transport of the election paraphernalia to the different polling centers in the city was smoothly done through the support of the members of the board of election inspectors and the watchers of the different political parties as well as the various political watchdogs that resulted in the peaceful opening of the precincts on election day.
The BCPO chief also cited the various force multipliers, particularly the field training program trainees, interns from the different colleges and universities, barangay tanods and barangay peacekeeping teams, for their contributions in helping the local police force maintain peace and order in the city during the conduct of the general and automated elections.
According to him, the calmness and sobriety of the candidates, supporters and the voters in awaiting the results of the elections prevailed that is why the elections in the city was peaceful and there were no election-related violence and incidents unlike in other urban centers in the different parts of the country.
He added assigned police personnel in the 59 polling centers that accommodated the 252 clustered precincts did not report any untoward incidents during the casting and canvassing of votes in the precinct level and that they were able to escort the members of the board of election inspectors from the polling centers to the centralized canvassing center at the Baguio Convention Center.
Despite the influx of people to the Baguio Convention Center to witness the canvassing of votes that ended at around 11:45 pm Monday, Daskeo said candidates, supporters and voters and the public were cooperative that resulted to the peaceful conduct of the political exercise in the city.
The police official encouraged local residents to continue such best practice of being able to maintain a peaceful and order of the elections because people in other areas are jealous on how people in the city are able to go through the elections without risking lives and inflicting injuries to others.
By Dexter A. See
