DILG Lauds Attached Agencies for Peaceful Mid-Term Polls

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) commended its attached agencies for the effective coordination with other security forces and agencies tasked to secure that resulted in a generally peaceful 2019 elections.

These include the Philippine National (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
“I wish to commend the PNP, BJMP, BFP, and to the entire DILG family for their invaluable contribution to the conduct of a free, honest, orderly, peaceful, and credible elections nationwide,” DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said in a statement Wednesday.

Año said the early and thorough preparations of the PNP and their strong partnership with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is key for commendable performance as Commission on Elections (Comelec) deputies to safeguard peace and order and provide security to all polling places across the country.

“We are proud that the elections were generally peaceful and stable and that no major election-related violence was reported. All precincts opened on Monday and the Communist Terrorist groups as well as the Local Terrorist Groups were not able to disrupt the holding of the elections anywhere in the country,” the Interior Secretary noted.

“For this achievement, I congratulate the PNP led by General Oscar Albayalde and the 181,775 police officers who performed election duties for a job well done. I also wish to commend the more than 500 Comelec-deputized police officers who took the place of teachers as Board of Election Inspectors in various precincts in need of back-up poll workers. Your service to the nation made possible the success of this very important democratic exercise,” he added.

He also lauded the Task Force Kontra Bigay composed of the Comelec, DILG, PNP, and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for their concerted effort to confront head-on the menace of vote-buying in our country.

He said the arrest of hundreds of perpetrators is an important step in reducing if not eradicating this clear affront to our democracy. I congratulate the Comelec for its decisive leadership and we look forward to working with them in future elections in the strict implementation of our election laws.

Año said that even as voting has concluded he strongly urged the public to continue to report cases of vote-buying by filling up the standard complaint form and submitting it, together with other pieces of evidence, to the nearest Comelec, PNP, or NBI office.

“The government needs your help to strengthen our democracy. To stop the menace of vote buying, the vigilance of the public is key,” he said.

Año lauded the BJMP for facilitating the voting of 43,774 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), the BFP for being on standby in polling precincts for emergency quick response, as the well as the DILG field offices for manning their respective Regional Operations Center (OPCEN) Halalan 2019 to monitor election-related incidents.

“As the nation and LGUs move forward and embrace a new beginning, I assure the people that the DILG’s Local Government Academy is ready to provide capacity development programs of winning local elective officials through the continuing Program for Newly Elected Officials to prepare them in effectively discharging their duties and responsibilities,” Año said. (PNA)