ASIDE from so-called private armies, the Philippine National Police (PNP) is also monitoring rebel groups that may be used by candidates as "goons" in the upcoming elections.

"We are monitoring not only political (armed) groups, but also dissident terrorists and secessionist groups," PNP spokesman Leonardo Espina said.

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By dissident terrorists, Espina said he meant members of the communist New People's Army while the term secessionist groups refer to the Abu Sayyaf bandits and rogue members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.   

"The probability exists that they may support in an unscrupulous manner some candidates," Espina said.

He said information gathered from elections in 2004 and 2007 indicate that rebel groups, which hold more than 15,000 of the country's 1.1 million loose firearms, "provide necessary force" to some candidates.

"They (rebel groups) call up some candidates and sometimes it's vice versa," he said.

The official noted that these are only "intelligence information," but are being used by security forces to assess the probability of violence.

"With this data, we can prepare and make assessments so we can deploy forces and prevent untoward incidents," Espina said.

The PNP is monitoring nine provinces -- Abra, Basilan, Sulu, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Masbate, Nueva Ecija, Samar, and Maguindanao -- that recorded the most number of election-related incidents. (VR/Sunnex)