PNP, AFP: Will of the people to prevail on May 9

MANILA, Philippines - Security forces vowed to ensure the will of the people would be reflected in the elections on May 9.

This developed as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) was placed on red alert status yesterday in the countdown to election day.

AFP chief Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda assured the public of the military’s readiness in securing the electoral process.

For its part, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ricardo Marquez directed the 19,800 police and military personnel assigned to secure polling precincts on Monday to focus on maintaining its presence and operations.

Miranda assured the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that the military and the police are ready to meet any contingency on election day.

AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said soldiers, along with their police counterparts, are now conducting joint patrols under Comelec-supervised road checkpoints.

Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista visited the AFP headquarters yesterday to coordinate its efforts for the electoral exercise on Monday.

Even as the AFP assured Comelec that security measures are in place for Monday’s elections, Bautista told the top brass of his main concerns.

“The two challenges that I am seeing is the new election feature of printing vote receipts and the prevailing hot weather,” he said.

But Bautista said that as per directive of the Supreme Court last March 17, Comelec has done its best to oblige with the printing of vote receipts despite having less than two months to prepare.

Bautista said he is worried how this new election feature would affect the actual voting process. He said some groups might take advantage and create confusion and trouble.

“My orders to all the Board of Elections Inspectors is for them to be very strict and to ensure that these vote receipts are dropped inside a box after the voter has read it. We also are calling on watchers of all the political parties and the civil society groups to be alert to prevent switching of receipts,” Bautista said.

Bautista added the prevailing hot weather might discourage senior citizens and persons with disabilities to cast their votes in the event of a long queue at their polling precinct.

This is the reason why Comelec moved the time of voting to 6 a.m. until 5 p.m. to accommodate more voters.

“This May is hotter than the previous Mays. And we all know that when it is too hot and when the lines become too long, this might discourage the voters to cast their ballots, especially senior citizens and persons with disability,” Bautista said.

Bautista said the poll body also wanted to have the voting completed early as “miracles do happen in the dark.”  

Bautista also said policemen could take over from the teachers serving as Board of Elections Inspectors if they back out from their poll duties on Monday.

He said the poll body has passed a resolution appointing PNP personnel to act as substitute for teachers who refuse to perform election duties. – With Sheila Crisostomo, Mike Frialde, Non Alquitran