Police assure peaceful polls

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) vowed to neutralize private armed groups operating in the province of Samar especially with the coming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on October 25.

PNP Regional Director Arnold Revilla said from the five private armed groups before the May 2010 elections, the number has been reduced to only two, with only one active group in the first district of Samar.

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“For Samar, during the previous elections we gave special concern to the area because there were identified private armed groups responsible for the politically-motivated killing,” Revilla said.

Revilla did not name the private armed groups but said operations to neutralize them are continuing.

“Because we have on-going operations tungkol dito, baka ma-compromise. But we want to make sure they are neutralized before the barangay and SK elections,” Revilla said.

He added that the private armed groups are being maintained by local government officials who were elected during the last elections.

Meanwhile, Revilla said his office has not yet received any requests for police security in connection with the forthcoming elections.

“They can apply with the Commission on Elections and we will act on it accordingly,” Revilla said, referring to the application for security personnel.

On the other hand, the dioceses of Catarman, Calbayog and Borongan have called on the faithful to support their campaign for the holding of honest, orderly, and peaceful elections on October 25.

Rev. Fr. Cesar D. Aculan, director of the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Calbayog, said they will initiate a covenant signing with law enforcement agencies, the Church and the candidates for honest, orderly and peaceful elections.(Leyte Samar Daily Express)