Cops with ties to candidates receive new assignments

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has reshuffled over 1,000 police officers who have close ties to candidates running in the midterm elections.

PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde has reassigned 1,370 police officers who are related by blood or affinity to candidates vying for various elective posts in their respective areas.

Albayalde ordered the reshuffle to ensure the neutrality of police personnel during the elections.

“As non-partisan and deputized law enforcement agency of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), we strongly and firmly remain faithful to our apolitical mandate to ensure and protect the will of the electorate towards honest, orderly and peaceful elections,” he said yesterday in a statement.

The personnel that have been reassigned to other areas consist of 26 police commissioned officers and 1,344 police non-commissioned officers.

Data from the PNP Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM) showed that there are 1,858 police officers who have affinity or blood relation to politicians.

However, only 1,370 are presently assigned in the political jurisdictions of the candidates, while 488 are assigned elsewhere.

Albayalde has also approved the reshuffle of 121 provincial directors, city directors, mobile force commanders and chiefs of police who have

reached the maximum two-year tour of duty in their assignments.

The PNP has also ordered five police officers who are running for local elective posts to resign from the PNP.

Albayalde did not identify the five police officers who are running for elective posts as vice mayor and councilors in the provinces of Bukidnon, Surigao del Norte, Northern Samar, Lanao del Sur and Zamboanga del Sur.

The Comelec states that any person working in government must resign after filing a certificate of candidacy.