DAVAO del Sur Governor Marc Douglas Cagas received reports that around 500 alleged "guns-for-hire" are being deployed in the province to disrupt the upcoming 2022 elections.
Cagas posted on his Facebook page on Sunday, April 17, along with images of some individuals and their identification cards.
The governor said that while the information is still subject for verification, he said they are taking it seriously because some of the hired men are already in Kiblawan.
"The plan is to distribute them in all the municipalities and city. Such is no longer an election offense, but a crime against the State, sedition, for it can undermine democracy," Cagas said.
Meanwhile, the governor reminded his constituents to stay calm and be vigilant.
"Let us not allow hooliganism to defray us from exercising God given right to vote, be free and hopeful DAVSURANONs!! [sic]," Cagas said.
Kiblawan Mayor Carl Jason Rama Bautista, in a separate statement on Monday, April 18, immediately ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to investigate the allegation, especially that the municipality was mentioned in Cagas's post.
Bautista, who is also running for governor in Davao del Sur, said the post exposing the faces of the suspects is a violation of their rights.
"Akoang ipasiugda, uyon kita sa pagsunod sa prosesong legal. Angay sab natong protektahan ang mga katungod adtong mga tawo'ng anaa sa post ni Gov. Cagas (I would like to clarify that I am for the following of legal process. But we also have to protect the rights of the people in the post of Governor Cagas)," he said.
"Akong nakita ang posibleng paglapas sa (I saw a possible violation in the) basic constitutional rights to due process, to presumption of innocence, and right to privacy aning mga tawhana sa implikasyon kanila nga mga kriminal (of these people for the implication that they are criminals)," he added.
He also urged his constituents to report to the police any suspicious individuals in their area.
SunStar Davao reached out to the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Davao Region for their side on the matter, but they have not responded as of this posting Tuesday, April 19.
PRO-Davao recently placed the municipalities of Davao del Sur, namely, Sta. Cruz, Matanao, Magsaysay, Malalag, Hagonoy, and Padada, in the 16 election hotspots in Davao Region. These are considered areas of concern for the election season.