ILOILO City – Election day, May 13, is drawing near. The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) is wary of politicos who could be tapping the services of armed groups to advance their candidacies.
“May mga text messages na pumapasok sa atin na may potential private armed groups (PAGs) dito sa region. Gusto kong i-clear na wala tayong organized PAGs pero mayroong mga grupo na maaaring gagamitin as PAGs,” said Police Brigadier General John Bulalacao, Western Visayas police director.
He assured the public that the PRO-6 was monitoring these groups and the politicos named in the text messages.
The regional police had long prepared for possible election-related violence. During the visit of Philippine National Police’s (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde on Friday last week, the PRO-6 presented a total of 10,569 recovered firearms from July 24, 2018 to April 28, 2019 under the “Tokhang Kontra Guinadili-an Nga Pusil”, a campaign against loose firearms.
Data from PRO-6 showed that the Iloilo police had confiscated 3,109 firearms; the Negros Occidental police, 1,710; Antique police, 1,684; Capiz police, 1,283; Aklan police, 1,013; Bacolod City police, 773; Iloilo City police, 740; and Guimaras police, 248.
A total of 9,819 firearms were voluntarily surrendered by owners through the “soft-hand” approach while 741 firearms were acquired through the “iron-hand” approach or police operations.
Just three months ago, Bulalacao said some candidates availed themselves of the services of rebels and PAGs though he did not identify these candidates.
“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 February.
The regional police would use the “full force” of law against these candidates, he added.
Bulalacao also said intelligence reports reached the PRO-6 that New People’s Army extortion activities targeting elections candidates had not stopped.
They were asking between P100,000 to P500,000 from each target candidate, said Bulalacao.
‘SACRIFICE A LITTLE’
The PRO-6 is ready for the elections, no less than Philippine National Police’s (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde declared.
“We have seen the preparations of this regional office and I think, based on what was presented to us, the PRO-6 is very much ready,” said Albayalde said after a command conference at Camp Delgado here Friday last week.
He reminded the police to “sacrifice a little” as “election happens every three years.”
Although the number of election-related incidents decreased this year compared to the recorded incidents in 2013 and 2016, Albayalde reminded police officers to intensify their fight against private armed groups, guns-for-hire, and loose firearms.
He noted that the PNP recorded 26 election-related incidents this year, compared to 94 in 2013 and 106 in 2016.
This year, 45 victims – with 13 deaths – were involved in election-related incidents, he said.
“The record this year is lower compared to 45 deaths in 2016 and 42 deaths in 2013,” he said.
The national police chief also made sure that police officers are aware of the “dos and don’ts” during election day.
Police officers should maintain a 50-meter distance from the polling centers and police officers must not carry firearms with them as they vote inside their respective poll precincts, he said.
Albayalde added that it is the responsibility of the police commanders to directly supervise police officers.
“They (police commanders) will be made responsible for the deeds and misdeeds of their personnel and I hope this time, we (police officers) are aware of the dos and don’ts in the polling centers,” he said, emphasizing that the duties must be clear to new police officers.
Albayalde also underscored that the police must not be found complaining during the election day.
“We are being paid by the government to protect the community. We are not being paid for additional allowance. Election duty is part of our duties as police officers. If there is additional allowance, it will be given,” he said. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency/PN)
