Barba: 2 cops for each PCOS machine
LINGAYEN—On election day, the province’s cops will have a different priority. Secure the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machine to guard against possible sabotage or attempts to justify failure of elections.
Police Provincial Dirtector Percival Barba has issued the order assigning two policemen to secure each machine in all the precincts giving rise to a possible manpower logistical nightmare for the regular maintenance of peace and order.
Superintendent Harris Fama, deputy police provincial director for operations, confirmed that Barba made the order, which he fears may be too tall an order for the province’s police force considering the command’s limited personnel.
There are 1,300 barangays in Pangasinan and each one may have up to two or three clustered precincts. Each clustered precinct is entitled to one PCOS.
Barba, on the other hand is unfazed as the police may field members of accredited multipliers to go with the assigned policemen in securing the PCOS machines.
The Barangay Peace-keeping Action Teams (BPATs), for example, he said has about 14,000 members all over the province who may be tapped to assist the police during the election.
Barba is also expecting some augmentation troops from the police in the region as well as from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Fama said they do not know when the delivery of the PCOS machines will start.
PEACE AND ORDER
In the meantime, Fama said Pangasinan remains peaceful and orderly even as he assured that police checkpoints in all roads across the province are set up randomly
He said no election-related incident has been reported so far although the number of firearms and other deadly weapons seized is still increasing.
Fama also admitted there are private armed groups in some towns of Pangasinan but said the police are taking steps to curb their presence and activities.
According to him, search warrants have already been served against some of the suspects and their firearms and ammunition have been confiscated. Charges have also been filed in court.–LM
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