PNP, AFP on full alert on eve of barangay, SK polls

Police nationwide will be placed on full alert on Sunday, a day before the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

“The PNP will be on full alert on Sunday and until after the observance of All Saints’ Day on Nov. 1,” Philippine National Police chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. said during a meeting with editors and reporters of The STAR.

The campaign period for Monday’s barangay and SK elections ends at midnight today, spokesman James Jimenez of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday.

“Comelec Resolution 8264, which outlined the calendar of activities and certain prohibited acts in connection with the Barangay and SK elections is loud and clear,” he said.

“The official campaign period will run from Oct. 19 until midnight of Oct. 27, 2007.”

Jimenez said candidates can proceed with their scheduled political caucuses and meetings, barangay assembly and distribution of lawful campaign paraphernalia only until today.

Violators will face six-months’ imprisonment, ouster from office if elected, and removal of the right to vote, he added.

Comelec records showed there is a total of 51.3 million registered voters for the coming polls – 88.1 million for the barangay elections and 3.1 million are for the SK.

For each of the 41,995 barangays, a voter will elect one barangay chairman and six councilmen, and one SK chairman and six SK councilmen.

The poll body has set up 558,118 precincts in 1,494 municipalities and 136 cities nationwide.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Comelec agreed yesterday to give a P3,000 honorarium and a P500 transportation allowance to teachers who will render election duty. The money will come from a P2.6-billion budget allocated for their compensation.

In Metro Manila, 4,500 policemen have been deployed to maintain peace and order during Monday’s barangay and SK elections, according to Director Geary Barias, National Capital Regional police commander.

Speaking at the weekly 777 forum, Barias said four of the 21 election hot spots in Metro Manila are within the jurisdiction of the Southern Police District.

These are Barangays Maricaban and Malibay in Pasay City, Barangay Maharlika in Taguig and Barangay Putatan in Muntinlupa, he added.

Barias said the police will be reinforced by 6,000 soldiers from the Armed Forces National Capital Region Defense Command.

Police would be closely guarding crowded areas to strictly implement the election gun ban, he added.

AFP spokesman Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro said the military is ready to ensure orderly, successful and peaceful barangay and SK elections on Monday.

“Unlike the last May 14, 2006 midterm national polls, we will be playing an active role in the coming barangay and SK elections,” he said.

However, as of yesterday, they have not yet received any advise on whether to raise the military alert level to red, Bacarro said.

Earlier, Deputy Director General Reynaldo Varilla, PNP deputy chief for operations, said at least two policemen will be deployed in each polling center, along with soldiers from the Armed Forces.

“It’s all systems go,” said Varilla who is also Task Force Election commander. “Your police are ready.”

Varilla said the Comelec has placed 413 barangays in Bicol under its control, while 100 barangays in Lanao Sur have been identified by the police as election hotspots.

“The situation now is very, very much peaceful,” he said.

Police will set up checkpoints to monitor the movement of unauthorized firearms and armed groups, he added.

The police have so far recorded only 13 election-related violent incidents since the start of this year’s village polls season last Sept. 29.

Ten people have been killed, including two candidates for barangay chairman, one barangay kagawad candidate and three barangay officials.

Reports said 75 people were killed in 85 election-related violent incidents in the 2002 barangay and SK elections.

In Central Luzon, at least 176 barangays are considered as “areas of immediate concern” in Monday’s barangay and SK elections. 

Speaking to reporters in San Fernando, Pampanga, Senior Superintendent Alfredo Caballres, Central Luzon police deputy regional director for administration, said four parameters are considered in declaring “areas of immediate concern:”

• History of related violence in the area,

• Presence or existence of rebels,

• Existence of private armed groups, and

• Existence of communist terrorists.

However, as of now no private armed groups have been reported to operate in Central Luzon, he added.

Caballres said 21 barangays in Aurora are considered as “areas of immediate concern,” plus 32 in Bataan, two in Bulacan, 81 in Nueva Ecija, 30 in Pampanga, and 10 in Zambales.

Some 4,549 policemen will be deployed early Sunday in seven provinces and two cities in Central Luzon to ensure that the conduct of election would be “honest, orderly and peaceful,” he added.

At least 1,500 soldiers will be sent to these barangays if the situation arises, Caballres said.

Lawyer Emmanuel Ignacio, Comelec assistant regional director in Central Luzon, said as early 7 a.m. Monday all polling precincts in the region will open, and will closed at exactly 3 p.m. 

Present at the press conference were DILG regional director Josefina Castillo-Go, Otelio Tactac, legal officer of DILG3, and Erlinda Yumul, Philippine Information Agency manager. – With Sheila Crisostomo, Rainier Allan Ronda, Ric Sapnu, Jose Rodel Clapano, Jaime Laude