Brillantes wants police-military-free polls

IF COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes will have it his way, he would rather do away with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) from being involved in the country’s elections.

Speaking at the “Unity Walk and Inter-Faith Prayer Rally for a Secure and Fair Elections (Safe) 2013” at the Quezon City Memorial Circle, the poll chief said it has been his “aspiration” for the country to have an election that will not have the presence of police and soldiers any more.

“Dito sa Pilipinas, sana hindi na tayo tumatalikod o tumitingin sa military at saka sa pulis for a safe election. Sana ho hindi na natin sila sinasama sa ating election... yun po ang panaginip ko,” said Brillantes.

But before being misinterpreted, the Comelec head immediately said that what he meant was for a time to come for the country to not require the services of the PNP and AFP anymore since the citizens themselves are already assured of having a safe election.

“Hopefully, in about 50 years when all of us should have been gone, magkakaroon po tayo ng elections dito sa Pilipinas na hindi na ho natin nakikita na sumasali ang pulis at military maliban para sila rin ay bomuto para sa kanilang kandidato,” said Brillantes.

To note, the Comelec had been in partnership with the PNP and the AFP in ensuring that the elections will be conducted as peacefully, orderly, and secured as possible.

The AFP and the PNP are the deputized agents of the poll body, especially in implementing the prohibitions imposed inside the election period.

During the 150-day period, it is prohibited to bear, carry or transport firearms or other deadly weapons unless authorized by the Comelec; the use of security personnel or bodyguards by candidates; and the organization or maintenance of reaction forces, strike forces or other similar forces.

Checkpoints have also been set-up by the PNP nationwide in order to strictly impose the gun ban beginning Sunday until June 12.

In early Sunday, four walk groups came from different starting points and converged at the Quezon Memorial Circle, where the participants lit candles and held a brief inter-faith prayer rally.

Participants included Comelec officials, Department of Justice, Department of Education, Department of Interior and Local Government, National Police Commission, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine National Police, Department of National Defense, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, National Movement for Free Elections, religious groups, and barangay tanods.

In his Twitter, Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez lauded participants of the Unity Walk for being party to the “brilliant dawn for unity in the 2013 Election Period”.

“Hearing the voter's pledge rising up to meet the morning, issuing from the throats of hundreds of united women and men, is something else,” wrote Jimenez (@jabjimenez). (HDT/Sunnex)