City Police Director Sr. Supt Manuel Barcena said the local police have beefed up its stationary and mobile checkpoints in the various parts of the city Policemen with the help of the Task Force Zamboanga are regularly conducting mobile patrols and checkpoints especially at night in our effort to strictly enforce the election gun ban. Indeed, we are very serious in the implementation of the firearms ban," Barcena stressed.

The city police director also warned political candidates to limit their detailed security escorts to only two, if possible,, and that their bodyguards should always be in proper uniform.

Barcena said the police and military need to adopt tight security measure here in the city in order to ensure that there will be no untoward incident much more so election-related incident.

However, the city police director is optimistic that elections in the city just like in previous years will be generally very peaceful and orderly.

He added that unlike in other cities where elections are always marred with violent incidents like killings, Zamboanga City is fortunate to have decent and peace-loving politicians.

Nevertheless, the police are still implementing adequate security measures as they don't discount the possibility that lawless groups might still conduct atrocity and sabotage during the election period.

Aside from the strict enforcement of the gun ban, the police are also checking and inspecting the registration of motor vehicles including the license of drivers.

The police are also securing political rallies to ensure the safety not only of the candidates and their supporters but also of the public. Police and military authorities have also credited the barangay tanods for assisting them in securing political rallies being held in the barangays.  -Jemuel E. Mojica