BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi (MindaNews / 27 Sept)—A thousand personnel from the Police Regional Office of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) will be deployed in Lanao del Sur to serve as substitute for teachers who refuse to serve as election inspectors for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on October 30.

Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza, regional commander of PRO-BAR, said in a statement that based on the accounting conducted by the Commission of Elections (COMELEC), among the reasons cited by the teachers who refuse to serve are “conflict of interest” (because they are related to the candidates) and the peace and order situation.

But Nobleza said that they had anticipated this situation and has started to prepare and conduct trainings for policemen who will serve as special board of election inspectors.

He also recommended to COMELEC the inclusion of 248 barangays in Lanao del Sur under areas of grave concern.

Nobleza said he ordered the recall of personnel detailed as security to VIPs and those under schooling to report to barracks so they could serve in the elections.

Earlier, PRO-BAR has requested from the national police command for an additional augmentation of 700 policemen to be specifically deployed in Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Sur and the Special Geographic Areas (SGA) in Cotabato province.

(Ferdinandh Cabrera / MindaNews)