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Sunday, February 22, 2004
PNP warns of more poll-related violence
MANILA -- Violence will further escalate as election day approaches, the Philippine National Police (PNP) warned on Saturday.
The PNP reported that at least 20 people, including four politicians, have been killed and more than a hundred wounded in violence for the last 64 days since election period was declared on Dec. 15, 2003.
General Wilfredo Garcia, PNP's deputy director for operations, said election-related violence is expected to rise with less than 80 days left before the May 10 polls.
"Based on past experience, as election day draws nearer, more violence will occur," Garcia said at a briefing with members of the National Citizens Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) at the Heritage Hotel.
He said from Dec. 15 to Feb. 19, there have been 20 deaths, including four politicians, and with over a hundred wounded.
According to Garcia of the 20 deaths 16 fatalities were from the bombing of Parang town. Parang mayor Vivencio Bataga was among those injured during the incident.
The politicians include two vice-mayors and a candidate for councilor. Garcia said investigation of these crimes is still ongoing.
In his presentation, Garcia named Quezon, Catanduanes, Sorsogon and Maguindanao as the top four areas of concern. He said there are 493 election hotspots, which include the 53 municipalities in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm); 46 municipalities in region 12; 44 in region 5 and 42 municipalities from the Calabarzon areas.
He said PNP chief Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. also named Ilocos Sur as an area of special concern following the death of a vice-mayor days before the election period began.
Records of the PNP showed that in 2001, 111 persons were killed and 253 wounded in election-related violence, or an increase of 50 percent compared to the 1998 presidential elections, where 50 people died and 44 were wounded.
In the 1995 elections, 79 people were killed while 11 were wounded.
Anticipating the possible occurrence of election-related violence, the PNP has started putting up civil disturbance management (CDM) units particularly in areas declared as hotspots.
Garcia said the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) organized one brigade while the special action force and the headquarter service support were told to create a battalion each for this purpose. The provincial police offices were also told to create one company each.
Garcia also revealed there had been a total of 733 violators of the Comelec gun ban, 600 of them civilians, 17 from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, 20 from the PNP and 3 government employees.
At least 571 firearms were recovered, 128 of which classified as high-powered. Garcia said 160 cases have already been filed by the PNP.
Meanwhile, Garcia similarly disclosed that there are a total of 193 partisan armed groups or private armies recorded with the PNP. He said 23 of them have been neutralized while 53 have been dismantled.
Some 145 persons have been arrested, Garcia added.Marie Neri
(February 22, 2004 issue)
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So young, yet so corrupt?