5ID Troops Deployed to Secure People in the Conduct of Election
Camp Melchor F dela Cruz, Upi, Gamu, Isabela - The Star Troopers of the
5th Infantry Division, Philippine Army under the sterling leadership of
Maj. Gen. Rommel A Gomez AFP, performed remarkably with the COMELEC and
the PNP during the conduct of the May 2010 elections within Regions I,
II and CAR in their earnest desire to attain an Honest, Orderly,
Peaceful and Credible Elections.
The Star Troopers were deployed in these areas as part of their mandated
election duty to protect/secure the people against groups or individuals
whose primary intent is to sow fear, terror, and chaos during the
election period . to address these threats , the command activated 5ID
Task Group "Bantay" headed by BGen Pompeo V Limbo AFP as Task Group
commander. Synchronizing the Task group's peaceful initiatives are the
Command's Infantry Brigade, Battalions. And AFP representatives to the
Regional Joint Security Control Center (RJSCC) and Provincial Joint
security Control Center (PJSCC).
So far, during the conduct of election in 5ID AOR, there were recorded
election-related incidents in the provinces of Abra, Kalinga, Ifugao,
Mt. Province, Isabela, Cagyan and Ilocos Norte where eight (8) people
were killed while Thirty Three (33) others were wounded. Apprehension of
Seventy Three (73) people and recovery of High and Low Powered Firearms
by the government security forces in violation of COMELEC Gun ban.
However, comparing this to previous elections, the incidents were
comparatively lower in terms of violence and disruption of the electoral
process. This feat can be attributed to the successful efforts and
coordination undertaken by the AFP-PNP-COMELEC to conduct coordinating
conferences, checkpoints, security of precincts, and protection of PCOS/election
paraphernalia - to name a few - before, during, and even after the May
10 elections. It is then noteworthy to conclude that the elections
within 5ID AOR was generally peaceful were it not for the
above-mentioned government agencies' sacrifice and dedication to protect
the votes.
With this, the 5th Infantry Division hopes to refine its lessons learned
from the experiences that it has gained during this recently concluded
Local and National Elections and would replicate its successes on future
electoral proceedings. Truly, the men and woman comprising these Star
Troopers would be ready to perform its electoral mandate once again if
only to prove its sincerity of ensuring the Filipino people's ideals of
a true democratic and free country.
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