PNP's Acorda sees no reason to postpone 2023 BSKE in Negros Oriental

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental - Philippine National Police Chief Benjamin Acorda Jr. on Tuesday said he saw no need to postpone the October 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in Negros Oriental.

The national police chief expressed his position at the joint coordinating conference of the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Commission on Elections held at the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office.

“Sa dami ng election na pinagsamahan namin ng AFP, I do believe na kaya natin ‘to at yung postponeent na sinasabi natin from the point of view of the PNP, it should push through because what had happened in [the] past should not affect ‘yung ating naka-schedule [na elections],” Acorda said.

(Given the numerous elections we and the AFP have gone through together, I do believe that we can handle this. And this postponement which is being discussed, from the point of view of the PNP, it should push through because what had happened in the past should not affect out scheduled elections.)

“We do not see any reason for the delay and ang hinihiling po ng ating kapullisan is also the cooperation and support from the private sector and the community,” he added.

(We do not see any reason for the delay. And what the PNP is seeking is also the cooperation and support from the private sector and the community.)

Acorda stressed the need for the community to help them in terms of giving significant information, not only to push through with the the elections, but also for them to ensure honest, peaceful, and orderly polls.

“I think with all the presence here ng ating Negros command, ating regional director and the staff, andito din ang ating ating director for the operations and intel, everybody in the PNP is willing giving their focus sa Negros to make sure na ang ating halalan, ang inyong PNP is fully supportive sa Comelec and to assure the public that we will be there,” he said.

(I think with all the presence here of our Negros command, our regional director and the staff, our directors for operations and intelligence are also here, everybody in the PNP is willing to focus on Negros to make sure that during our elections, your PNP is fully supportive of the Comelec and to assure the public that we will be there.)

If there was a need for additional forces in Negros Oriental, Acorda said they would provide it.

Meanwhile, Armed Forces Chief Andres Centino said they supported the national leadership and the Comelec's decision to hold village and youth council elections in October.

“Whatever the decision, we will be able to conduct a peaceful and honest election this year… We assure that all of the Armed Forces, here in Negros and elsewhere will be all out in providing the needed secutiy in this coming elections,” Centino said.

The AFP chief also assured the people of Negros Oriental that the AFP has sufficient forces available and they can commit more forces if the situation warrants.

“As we have performed in the past election, the AFP, the field units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines were able to ensure a relatively peaceful election that was done last year. Sa atong pagtanaw (in our view), it was one of the relatively most peaceful elections conducted with the fewest number of violent… incidents that happened on election day,” Centino said.

‘Sakit ng kalingkingan’

Meanwhile, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the poll body would consider deferring the 2023 BSKE per municipality.

“Pwede tayong pumunta sa bagay na’ yon at maging localized lang at per municipality. Kasi kung wala namang ebidensya talaga na may takot ang kababayan natin dito sa Negros sa ilang bayan e bakit mo naman idadamay yung ibang bayan na yon? Kung wala naman palang problema doon at wala namang history ng karahasan sa lugar na yan?” Garcia said.

(We can consider postponing elections per municipality. Because if there's no proof that residents of certain Negros localities are frightened, why would you postpone elections in these areas? If there is no trouble, nor is there history of violence in the area?)

“Parang napaka-unfair naman natin. Kung ganon naman pala eh idamay na natin ang 43,000 na barangays sa buong bansa. Ang sakit ng kalingkingan ay hindi sakit ng buong katawan. Kung saan lang ang may problema dun lang ang dapat na approach ng Commission on Elections,” he added.

(That would be unfair of us. Should we just postpone elections in all 43,000 barangays across the country? An illness of an extremity is not an illness in the whole body. Only in problem areas -  that is the Commission on Elections' approach.)

Meanwhile, despite the position of the security sector, Garcia emphasized that the Comelec still had final say if the BSKE polls in Negros Oriental would be postponed or not.

“Ang Comelec, kapag nagdesisyon, kinakailangan naka-base lagi sa kung ano ‘yung batas, number two, kung ano ang kagustuhan ng ating mga kababayan at number three, kung ano ang reyalidad base sa mga na-gather nating ebidensiya,” he said.

The decision on the possible postponment of the 2023 BSKE in the province would be made by the last week of September or first week of October.

Garcia, Centino and Acorda were joined by Comelec Commissioners Rey Bulay, Aimee Ferolino, Ernesto Maceda Jr., Noel Celis and ranking officials of the AFP and PNP.

The Comelec is also conducting public hearings in different localities in Negros Oriental until June 29.

During an earlier Senate inquiry into the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, Senators Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa and Francis Tolentino asked the poll body to look into the possibility of holding off the elections amid the political violence in the province.

The senators also cited recent surveys showing that people in Region VII are agreeable to postponing the BSKE. — DVM, GMA Integrated News