PRO8 to honor election heroes

By RPCRD, Police Regional Office 8
May 16, 2013

CAMP KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte – A police officer who sacrificed his life to ensure the integrity of the elections and another cop who foiled election violence leads the election heroes that will be feted by the Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8) along with the almost 5,000 cops who secured Monday’s polls.

“POI Agerico Afable’s display of heroism to defend the credibility of the elections and SPO3 Jorge Tiunayan’s act of bravery that prevented escalation of poll violence will not go worthless as their dedication to duty will be properly recognized,” Police Chief Superintendent Elmer Ragadio Soria, PRO8 director said.

POI Afable was slain by armed men while keeping watch of the polling center in Calingatngan village, Borongan in Eastern Samar while SPO3 Tiunayan singlehandedly foiled an attempt to sow violence by armed men during last Monday’s elections in Brgy. Mantang, Taft town, also in Eastern Samar.

All policemen who rendered election duties also deserves a pat on the back, according to Soria, after ordering the pull-out of augmentation forces as “the critical period of the 2013 elections have already passed.”

“POI Afable will be posthumously honored while SPO3 Tiunayan will be accorded also with proper recognition for bravery,” the law enforcement official said.

A Medalya ng Kasanayan (PNP Efficiency Medal) is in store for all policemen who rendered election duties.

Soria said that the 913-strong police contingent that returned yesterday to augment territorial police forces would now take their usual desk job while others will return to training schools to continue their mandatory schoolings.

“The security plan we have laid out is more than adequate in ensuring a secure and fair elections and this could not have been done without your support, sacrifices and cooperation,” Soria said in his message to the augmentation troops.

The police official stressed that Monday’s election was generally peaceful, noting the 80 percent high voters turn-out, as the police performed well in securing this year’s midterm elections.

The Regional Election Monitoring and Action Center (REMAC) did not receive any report of election-related incident during and after the election day, he said.

As of Thursday morning, almost 99% of the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines and other election materials secured by police personnel were retrieved from polling centers.