POLICE Regional Office 13 (PRO13) director, Brigadier General Kirby John B. Kraft on Wednesday (BSKE) pressed their full preparedness to ensure a peaceful and orderly October 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections in the entire Caraga region.

“The foundation of our democratic ideals is the trust and confidence that the people place in the electoral process. It is our duty to protect and uphold this trust. That is why our security preparations are in full swing mobilizing all the needed manpower and assets for the BSKE next month,” the PRO13 director said.

Part of the PRO13’s effort is to assist the Commission on Elections in guarding and addressing possible vote-buying which has prompted the poll body to form its ‘Kontra Bigay Complaint Center’ across the country.

There are a total of 1,311 barangays, 1,349 voting centers, 5,365 clustered precincts, 78 municipal/city election officers, and 196 electoral board-trained PNP personnel in the entire region.

These places and election officers will be getting full security from the PRO13 and other law enforcement agencies in the region.

On Tuesday, Brig. Gen. Kraft hosted the Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Center or JPSCC conference at the PRO13 regional headquarters in Camp Colonel Rafael C. Rodriguez in Butuan City where the PRO13 discussed all their security measures and other concerns with their counterparts from the Armed Forces, the Philippine Coast Guard and the Commission on Election.

The PRO13 director presided over the meeting which was attended by Comelec Regional Election Director, Attorney Francisco G. Pobe, representatives the Army’s 402nd and 901st Infantry Brigades led by Brig. Generals George L. Banzon and Francisco F. Lorenzo Jr. and Commodore Christopher M. Meniado of the PCG District Northeastern Mindanao.

Also present during the meeting were the members of the PRO13 Command Group and Regional and Personal Staff, all PRO13 City/Provincial Directors, the Regional Mobile Force Battalion commander and other unit commanders.

Director Pobe updated the participants on the transport of election paraphernalia and discussed the salient provisions of the Committee on Kontra Bigay. Each member of the JPSCC also gave a briefing on their respective security measures.

The poll body is set to open its ‘Kontra Bigay’ Complaint Center as part of their intensified effort to stop vote buying during the October 30 election.

According to the Comelec, the KBCC shall operate through the CKB (Committee on Kontra Bigay) Office and through its exclusive communication channels, including but not limited to electronic mail (e-mail) and social media account such as Facebook page.

It added that the KBCC shall operate from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but noted that the CKB and the KBCC shall operate for 24 hours from Oct. 29 to 31.

The KBCC shall receive complaints and reports of vote-buying and vote-selling from any citizen who has personally witnessed the act of offering or promising by or of voter’s acceptance of money or other consideration from the relatives, leaders or sympathizers of a candidate.

It shall also assist in the preparation of the complaint, the affidavit of witnesses attesting to the offer or promise by or of voter’s acceptance of money or other consideration from the relatives, leaders or sympathizers of a candidate.

At the same time, it shall also help gather relevant evidence for vote-buying and vote-selling, such as corroborated video clips, photographs and other audio-visual recordings.