THE Philippine National Police (PNP) is profiling its members, particularly those assigned at police stations, to identify who among them have relatives running for the 2019 elections and are needed to be transferred to another area to avoid politicking.
"Ito pong araw na ito, pag-aaralan natin lahat, magkakaroon kami ng meeting at pag-aaralan namin kung sino ‘yung mga dapat tanggalin. Tatanggalin natin ‘yung mga commander na may mga tumatakbong kamag-anak dun sa lugar nila," PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde said Wednesday, October 10.
(We will study who among them have relatives running for the 2019 elections and should be transferred.)
He said the reshuffle is included in their police operational procedure for the sake of a fair and honest election.
Albayalde said they may also continue to provide police security escorts to candidates considering that there is an imminent threat on their life, but noted that the cops should always be in uniform.
"Yan po ang policy natin tuwing sasapit ang election. Puwede tayong magbigay ng proteksiyon or security detail, pero para maiwasan ang misencounters, lahat po ng itatalaga natin na security detail ng iba't ibang mga kandidato at mga incumbent ay naka-uniporme," he added.
(That has been our policy every election. We can provide security detail, but to avoid misencounters, all of those deployed to escort politicians have to wear police uniforms.)
Meanwhile, PNP spokesperson Benigno Durana Jr. said the PNP is monitoring at least 77 active Private Armed Groups (PAGs) with at least 2,060 members and around 1,574 firearms that may be tapped by candidates to get ahead of their opponents.
He said there were also 226 inactive armed groups with 2,028 members and have more than 1,000 firearms.
Durana said the “inactive PAGs” usually get active during their “market season,” just like during election period.
“That is why two months ago, si chief PNP directed all police regional offices to ran after gun-for-hire syndicate members, including the PAGS, to preempt... it’s a proactive measures to ensure that the tools na ginagamit ng mga politicians para ilagay nila ang sarili sa better position to win sa palagay nila by killing their opponents or potential opponents ay to lessen if not totally eradicate this kind of violent incidence that is not good for a democratic society such as ours,” he said.
Durana said Albayalde assured that the PNP has zero tolerance on police commanders who will not perform their functions well.
Of the 77 active PAGs, 75 were in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) as of the second quarter of 2018.
He noted, however, that the PNP is in a better position to address such matter in the Armm due to the successful peace negotiation between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
On October 7, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Carlito Galvez Jr. made a historic visit at the MILF Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao, marking the heightened trust and confidence between the government and the MILF.
“Ang problema natin sa PAGS sa Mindanao ay maganda po to dahil kasama na natin ang MILF in addressing this one. This is also the concern of the MILF, so it's not only the government running after them but we have the help now of our brothers from the MILF dahil meron na po tayong peace agreement ,so we are now in a better position in Mindanao to address the PAGS than before,” said Durana.
Durana said even though the PNP has yet to record any election-related incidents, two among the 18 cases of killings of mayors and vice mayors were “seem to be politically motivated.”
Twelve mayors and six vice mayors have been killed since President Rodrigo Duterte took office in July 2016.
Among the killings that may be politically motivated, based on the investigation of the police, were that of Trece Martires, Cavite Vice Mayor Alexander Lubigan and Sidupen, La Union Mayor Alexander Buquing. (SunStar Philippines)