Michael Punongbayan – The Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines — More than 300 soldiers are now on stand-by and ready to help ensure the conduct of peaceful and orderly elections in Metro Manila tomorrow.
Philippine Army spokesman Col. Louie Dema-ala said a total of 329 personnel have been assigned to handle the National Capital Region (NCR) as part of the national and local elections contingency or standby force.
The contingency force is composed of Civil Disturbance Management (CDM), K-9, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), Medical and Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) teams.
Dema-ala said a total of 31 assets such as military trucks and ambulances are also being placed on standby and ready for any contingency.
He added that all Philippine Army Emergency Response Companies (ERCs) were placed under Blue Alert Status from May 11 to 14 to deal with any contingency during the election period.
Dema-ala said various Philippine Army Major Units (PAMUs) have also deployed 23,591 personnel to perform election duties across the country, while another 21,509 personnel are on standby alert.
Army units are also operating under dual modes – Election Mode and Combat Mode to ensure the continuity of both electoral duties and ongoing internal security operations.
“We are committed to maintaining national stability by continuing our operations against threat groups while also assisting with the transport of poll materials and ensuring the safety of election personnel,” Army chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido said.