ILOILO City – Some candidates running for public office in Western Visayas have availed themselves of the services of rebels and private armed groups (PAGs), said Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) director Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao.
“Getting the services of rebels and PAGs is a form of cheating. We are warning these candidates to stop their nefarious activities,” stressed Bulalacao in a press conference yesterday.
The regional police chief said he has a list of names of these local candidates but refused to reveal them.
The information is still subject to validation, he explained.
According to the PRO-6 director, local candidates would likely use rebels and PAGs to intimidate voters and their opponents.
The regional police will use the “full force” of law against these candidates, said Bulalacao.
He also appealed to the public to help the police.
“We encourage the general public to expose these candidates. They don’t deserve a seat in our government,” Bulalacao said.
The midterm elections this year is slated on May 13. Security measures – like checkpoints and the gun ban – have been in effect since the election period began on Jan. 13.
According to Bulalacao, PRO-6 has also received intelligence reports that rebels, particularly the New People’s Army (NPA), have sent politicians letters offering their services.
The rebels have set their rates from P100,000 to P500,000, said Bulalacao.
Colonel Alberto Desoyo of the 301st Infantry Brigade confirmed this, adding that the letters were from the NPA’s Central Front Committee.
Desoyo said they are now intensifying their operations in areas across the region where rebel presence was reported.
“Our men are deployed to hinterland barangays for military operations to monitor movement of rebels and conduct offensive operations to neutralize them,” Desoyo added./PN
