CEBU CITY — The Philippine National Police announced on Sunday that it is in the thick of security planning for Negros Oriental's third district special election on 9 December 2023.

The district is under Commission on Elections control until the end of the election period for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on 29 November.

Comelec Chair George Garcia earlier mulled putting the third congressional district under their control even after 29 November and until the special poll to fill the seat vacated by expelled representative Arnolfo Teves Jr.

The Comelec will decide on the matter next week.

"The public can be assured of a safe and secured special election since we already have a security template based on what transpired in BSKE 2023 in Negros," said Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson for the Police Regional Office-7.

He added that Negros Oriental did not record a single election-related incident during the BSKE.

"We are just going to adopt the security coverage/plan we have implemented with little modifications," Pelare said.