by Lemuel Pagliawan
Ormoc City–The Ormoc City Police Office (OCPO) has vowed to sustain the relatively ideal peace and order situation in the city relative to the conduct of the 2025 midterm national and local elections.
This despite the “intense political contest” now happening particularly in the city of Ormoc and the fourth district of Leyte.
Imcumbent Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez is being challenged by Violy Codilla, a former Mayor of neighboring Kananga town and wife of former Ormoc Mayor Eric Codilla. On the other hand, Congressional Re-electionist Richard Gomez faces Ching Veloso, a former Congressman of the third district of Leyte.
Lt. Col. Ramil Amodia, chief of community affairs and development unit of Ormoc Police, hinted they have set up the necessary security measures that would somehow ensure the safe and peaceful conduct of Monday elections.
“We have mantained four checkpoints in four strategic areas (entry and exit points) in the city which we have just intensified this elections as they already exist even during the pandemic period,” Amodia said.
About 685 policemen have been deployed througout Ormoc City this 2025 elections.
“No augmentation forces have been given us as we have enough police strength of about 792 personnel in all,” disclosed Amodia.
Amodia said they are trying to accomplish the instruction or order given them by the national PNP chief and the Police City Director.
“We want to ensure that the people could exercise their right of suffrage safe, peaceful, and orderly as instructed by our local and national leadership,” Amodia emphasized.
He also disclosed that some police personnel now compose the “Task Force Kontra Bigay” which primarily intends to check on violators of election related regulations such Anti Liqour Ban, Anti-Vote Buying campaign, and gun ban.
About ten teams of Ormoc policemen with their respective vehicles would patrol the city of Ormoc daily to implement these regulations up until the end of the election period.
“We hope to witness a totally peaceful and orderly elections this year depsite the level of intense political bickerings and we want to maintain it that way the reason why we are maintaining the standard presence of police authorities throughout the city this time,” Amodia said.