85 Personnel Step Up for a Specialized Election Role
GENERAL SANTOS CITY - A total of 85 police personnel from three units completed the Special Electoral Board training held at Pacman Hall, Camp Fermin G. Lira Jr., in Barangay Dadiangas West, General Santos City. The group consisted of 38 GSCPO personnel, 28 from the Sarangani Police Provincial Office, and 19 from Regional Mobile Force Battalion 12. The training was conducted over two days and focused on the responsibilities associated with serving as members of a Special Electoral Board. The activity was led during its closing ceremony by PCOL Ariel B. Acala, Officer-in-Charge of GSCPO, with regional police and COMELEC officials also present for the occasion.
Training Connects Police Work With Election Procedures
The General Santos City training comes at a time when preparations for the 2026 BARMM Parliamentary Elections are moving into their final stages. COMELEC reported in July that preparations were already 95 percent complete, with ballot printing and verification finished and the remaining work including the training of teachers, Special Electoral Board members, and PNP personnel. In this setting, specialized preparation matters because police personnel assigned electoral responsibilities need to understand the procedures they may be expected to follow. The training in GenSan therefore forms part of a wider election-readiness effort rather than being an isolated police activity. This gives the participants a clearer foundation before election-related duties begin.
Prepared Personnel Add Another Layer of Election Support
The initiative also highlights the importance of coordination between police units and election authorities. The COMELEC maintains specific rules governing the deployment of PNP personnel as Special Electoral Board members, while its 2026 BARMM election resolutions continue to guide preparations for the September 14 polls. For General Santos City, the completion of the training means participating personnel have undergone focused preparation for a specialized public-service responsibility. Their role is connected to the wider objective of supporting an orderly electoral process. With training, coordination, and defined procedures working together, GenSan's participating police units are better positioned to contribute their part to the preparations surrounding the BARMM elections.
