THE Police Regional Office (PRO) in Davao Region challenged all police officials in Davao Region to achieve zero cases of election-related violence, or else they might be relieved from their position.
PRO-Davao spokesperson Eudisan Gultiano said in a virtual presser on Monday afternoon, April 25, that recently appointed Regional Director Brigadier General Benjamin Silo Jr. made the directive as the national and local elections this May 9 will be conducted in two weeks.
"Isa 'yan sa binigyang diin ng aming Regional Director sa lahat ng ating mga commanders (It is one of the things our Regional Director has emphasized to all our commanders), PDs [police directors], at COPs [chief of police] na (that) as much as possible, [there should be] no election-related incident ang mangyari sa kanilang area (that will be happening in their area)," Gultiano said during the One Davao on Covid-19 virtual presser.
The official also said that head police officials must resolve these cases within 48 hours.
"Meron na pong warning ang ating regional director na kung meron pong election-related na insidente na pasok sa parameter ng PNP [Philippine National Police] (Our Regional Director already warned that if ever there would be election-related incidents that would fit the parameter set by PNP), they are required to resolve it within 48 hours," she said.
"Otherwise, they will be relieved sa kanilang position," she added.
Silo, during the send-off ceremony of Protective Security Personnel at the Camp Sgt. Quintin M. Merecido in Buhangin, Davao City on Friday, April 22, he reminded its personnel to remain non-partisan in the upcoming 2022 elections, and warned its personnel who will provide protective security to political candidates.
PRO-Davao recently declared 16 election hotspots in the region for its intense political rivalry in the past elections. These are the municipalities of Sta. Cruz, Matanao, Magsaysay, Malalag, Hagonoy, Padada, New Corella, and Monkayo while the municipalities of Kiblawan, Lupon, Mabini, Maco, Maragusan, Montevista, New Bataan, and Pantukan are the orange category areas.
Silo said the region has, as of now, zero cases of election-related violence since the start of the election period in January this year, based on the parameters set by the Philippine National Police.
Gultiano said they are still investigating two separate shooting incidents that occurred during the period of the local elections. One is the killing of former barangay kagawad candidate Danilo Lumikid Jr. on April 1 in Manay, Davao Oriental. Another is the killing of Barangay Matiao Captain Ronnie Valera in Mati City, still in Davao Oriental on April 13, 2022.
But she already said the death of Valera is not "election-related."