More checkpoints will be set up and police visibility will be increased in Pangasinan ahead of the start of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) period on Aug. 28, the head of the Pangasinan Provincial Police Office (PPPO) said Thursday.

In a phone interview, PPPO Director, Col. Jeff Fanged, said the simultaneous checkpoints would be put in all 44 municipalities and four cities of the province, in preparation for the start of the election period, the filing of candidacy and the gun ban.

“Solicit natin support at cooperation ng ating mga kababayan sa Pangasinan sa pag-implement ng election laws ng inyong kapulisan (We are soliciting the support and cooperation of the residents of Pangasinan in implementing the election laws by your police),” he said.

“Sa mga candidates, dapat sumunod sa naaayon sa batas at wag gagamit ng dahas at we will make sure na di rin sila makakalusot at hahabulin namin sila (To our candidates, they should follow what is stated in the law and not use violence because we will make sure that they will not get away with it and we will go after them if they choose violence).”

Fanged said no further manpower augmentation is needed since no election hotspot areas have been identified as yet.

“Etong election exercise ay whole-of-government approach tayo dito kaya katuwang namin ang Armed Forces of the Philippines at Philippine Coast Guard para mapanatili ang kapayapaan sa province (This election exercise is a whole-of-government approach as we are in coordination with the AFP and the PCG to ensure peace and order in the province),” he said.

The PPPO and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) held their first provincial joint security command conference for this election on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Dagupan City election officer Michael Frank Sarmiento, in a virtual forum hosted by the Philippine Information Agency – Pangasinan on Thursday, said they are all set for the filing of COCs from Aug. 28 to Sept. 2.

Sarmiento said although Aug. 28 is a holiday and Sept. 2 is a Saturday, the Comelec offices would be open.

He reminded gun holders of the implementation of the gun ban from midnight of Aug. 28 until midnight of Nov. 29.

“It is prohibited to carry outside of the home a gun or deadly weapon unless there is a certificate of authority. Even security personnel, whether legitimate or non-legitimate gun holders, should secure a certificate of authority,” he said.

Comelec-Pangasinan election supervisor Marino Salas, in a recent interview, said their preparation is now “100-percent” complete, with more than 20,000 teachers serving in 2,000 polling precincts in the province.

The elections will be held on Oct. 30. (PNA)

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