Campaign materials in government properties to be removed

PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde has ordered his men to immediately take town campaign materials posted in government-owned property.

Albayalde said the order was in line with the statement of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday, February 18, that the use of public funds, money deposited in trust, equipment, facilities owned or controlled by government for any election campaign or any partisan political activity is prohibited.

Albayalde said he issued a directive cascading the orders of the chief executive to all PNP regional directors for immediate action to take down all election campaign materials in government offices and facilities such as billboards, tarpaulins, posters, steamers, banners, and similar campaign materials, to add more teeth to the enforcement of provisions of Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution 10488.

“The PNP is duty bound to ensure a level playing field for honest, orderly and peaceful elections in May as an apolitical and non-partisan deputized agency of the Commission on Elections,” he said.

“To be more emphatic about the strictly apolitical stand of the PNP, I am serving notice to all police personnel to remain steadfast along this command policy with due regard to existing rules and regulations that prohibit personnel from engaging in partisan political activity,” Albayalde added.

The campaign period for senatorial candidates and party-list groups started on February 12 and will end on May 11.

The campaign period for local posts, on the other hand, will be from March 30 until May 11.

Albayalde said a total of 181,775 police personnel will be deployed for election duties particularly during the election day on May 13.

Of this number, 99,976 PNP personnel will be deployed in polling centers, while 54,532 personnel will be assigned to Quick Reaction Teams and 18,177 personnel will compose the Reactionary Standby Support Force, and the remaining 9,089 will compose the Red Team and Headquarters Skeletal Forces.

Meanwhile, PNP spokesperson Senior Superintendent Bernard Banac urged all candidates to immediately report to the police any extortion attempt by members of the New People’s Army (NPA).

He said they have received reports that NPA members are demanding for money in order for the candidates to conduct campaigning in rebel-infested areas in Bicol, Davao and Caraga regions.

“We would like to encourage those who have been affected or those who have been victimized by these extortion activities to come forward and file and lodge a complaint against these extortionists,” he said.

“Let us know. Who are these people threatening them? Who are these people [and] armed groups demanding money or conducting extortion against them?” he added. (SunStar Philippines)