ANGELES CITY, Philippines – The Tarlac police has put up 42 checkpoints in the province to ensure peaceful and orderly elections in May. ???
“We will ensure maximum deployment of policemen in the checkpoints,” Senior Superintendent Alex Sintin, Tarlac police director, said yesterday.
Sintin said at least 86 guns have been confiscated at these checkpoints since Jan. 10. ? ?
He said they are considering placing certain areas, where violence may erupt, on their election watchlist.
In Bayugan, Agusan del Sur, police took over a checkpoint put up by some 20 New People’s Army rebels along the national highway in Sitio Bayanacon in Barangay Mabuhay yesterday.
The rebels had been pulling over vehicles for about 20 minutes when responding members of the Army’s 3rd Special Forces arrived.
“When the soldiers arrived, the communist rebels fled, leaving their paraphernalia behind,” said Capt. Jasper Gacayan, 401st Infantry Brigade spokesman.
Gacayan said the checkpoint set up by the rebels was near the headquarters of the 3rd Special Forces Battalion.