INPPO accomplishments on polls drive bared

CAMP JUAN, Laoag City (March 15) – Ilocos Norte provincial director S/Supt. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr. reported that since the onset of the campaign period for the May 9 elections, intensified police operations have been conducted in the province.Nartatez copy

Nartatez said since Day One, security measures were strictly enforced such as checkpoints, search operations, Oplan Bulabog, Oplan Katok, Oplan Bakal and Oplan Limbat Sibat, etc.

From the period of January 10 to March 5 this year, he disclosed that 42 search operations were conducted in separate incidents where 21 offenders were charged for violation of RA 10591 and 19 for violation of RA 9165.

He added that on COMELEC gun ban, the INPPO had 36 operations that arrested 30 violators and seized 21 firearms and 1,110 ammunition.

Nartatez revealed that there are exactly 3,863 registered firearms in the province, hence, these gun holders were subjected to Oplan Katok that reminded them to renew their licenses, in case expired, to avoid arrests.

Based on the recent account, at least 271 firearms with expired permits have been voluntarily surrendered by the gun owners and deposited in various police stations for safekeeping.

The PD also said that the INPPO had readied security measures to safeguard the Vote Counting Machines (VCMs) which will arrive in the province a week before the conduct of the May 9 election.

“We need to know how many VCMs will be delivered, polling centers or clustered precincts so that we can deploy the right number of police personnel”, he said. (ms. theo s. guiang)