The Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) received on Tuesday 310 additional officers from the Bacolod City Police Office in Negros Occidental as augmentation forces for the May 12 elections.

“This is the fulfillment of a commitment made by the Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region to send augmentation personnel to Negros Oriental to ensure the conduct of safe, peaceful, and orderly elections,” Lt. Stephen Polinar, NOPPO spokesperson, said in an interview.

Commission on Elections-Negros Island Region Director Lionel Marco Castillano reminded them to stay impartial during the elections, reiterating the guidance of Chair George Erwin Garcia.

“We just want to make sure that the vote of each and every Filipino voter will be cast and counted, because, as our Chairman said, this is only during this election that every Filipino would be truly equal — one man, one vote, one sacred vote,” he said. “I ask the Filipino soldiers and the Philippine National Police to protect that one sacred vote.”

More than 3,000 government security forces in Negros Oriental are being utilized for the elections, Polinar said.

These include 1,764 from the NOPPO; 180 from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion; 40 from the Special Action Force; 41 from the National Support Unit; 1,248 from the Armed Forces of the Philippines; 97 from the Philippine Coast Guard; and 189 from the Bureau of Fire Protection. (PNA)