Cops serving poll duties to carry flashlights, pressure lamps

MANILA, Philippines - Aside from firearms, police personnel who will be deployed for election-related duties on May 9 will carry flashlights and high-pressure lamps.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ricardo Marquez said flashlights and high-pressure lamps will be given to policemen to help illuminate areas in case of power interruption during the election.

“The instruction is they should carry with them flashlights. They should also have Petromax in the community and coordinate with the barangay chairman so that in case of a blackout, they can have light,” Marquez told reporters at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Petromax is the brand name of the oldest and most widely known manufacturer of high-pressure lamps in the country.

Marquez said a Joint Interagency Task Force in Mindanao has been set up to secure power lines and other facilities of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines.

However, he said that initial information indicated that the threat of a power cut might come not from terrorism, but from some internal problems in the organization regarding power lines.

“There was no specific threat at the moment but we are providing security in the facilities. There are other issues that impact on the power lines. One is the right of way issue that has been there for 40 years,” he added.

Threats to Pacquiao, Kris

Marquez said the Abu Sayyaf group based in Mindanao gained notoriety for their kidnap-for-ransom activities, victimizing locals and foreigners to squeeze huge amounts of money from them in the form of ransom.

“We all know that ASG is engaged in kidnapping for ransom activities to raise money. So in that context, we can see there are targets of opportunity to take personalities where they can generate huge money. That is what we are looking into,” Marquez added.

Marquez did not categorically confirm or deny the pronouncement of President Aquino, who revealed that the Abu Sayyaf had plotted to kidnap his sister, television host Kris Aquino, and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao.

He just vowed to continue without let-up the government’s intensive operations against the terrorist group.

Marquez also said there is no need to provide additional security for the President’s sister, who is being secured by the Presidential Security Group (PSG), while Pacquiao has his own security personnel.

“I think with the arrest of some key personalities from ASG… as the President has said, we can all sleep peacefully because we have neutralized their threat in the National Capital Region,” Marquez added.