RPOC chair Gov. Daza: Peaceful elections next year may result to positive economy

TACLOBAN CITY –  The conduct of peaceful election next year may result to a positive economy said Regional Peace and Order Council chairman and Northern Samar Governor Paul Daza.

That is why there is a need for all government peace keeping forces to ensure that security and peace and order next year, particularly in the province of Samar that has been included in the list of 15 provinces under “hot spot” area category, Daza said.

“We are the most stable and growing economy right now, unlike those big countries in the west that are experiencing recession right now, we are doing well,” Daza stressed.

“That is why, it is important for us to ensure a peaceful election next year because it will give a positive result to our local economy and could encourage foreign investment to come in,” he added.

Reason why it is important that areas that have not been declared in the “hot spot” category should remain the same, while those declared must be ensured that no incident of political crime would happened said Daza.

He added that once the election in 2013 become peaceful and investors started to come in, they must be spread all over the country like here in Eastern Visayas.

“We should benefit from every investment that comes in to our country.We need to find ways to divert some of it to our region,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, during the RPOC meeting held in this city, the Philippine National Police in Eastern Visayas said that they had already implemented counter measures to ensure a peaceful and credible election next year.
This was even before Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas had announced that Samar province is among the 15 provinces in the country that are considered as “hot spot” areas after they consider incidents of crime in previous elections.

Police Chief Superintendent Elmer Soria said that they had made several intervention to address problem on security and peace and order.

Among the security preparations for Samar province through its provincial headquarters is the confiscation of loose firearms and campaigning for gun owners to renew their expired gun license and they are also monitoring the movements of two existing private armed groups operating in the province purportedly maintained by politicians.

“We are also planning to deploy additional personnel in key areas where incidents of crime related to election is high and we had instructed our provincial director to identify the strategic area for the checkpoint and choke points are to be established in a joint effort with partners from the AFP,” Soria added.