The Philippine National Police (PNP) has warned all its city and town police commanders not to allow the mayors to exercise supervision and control over them, saying they will certainly end up in big trouble since the “employ and deploy” power of local chief executives are stripped off during election period.

The PNP warning was viewed as an order for policemen to defy mayors during the election period.

The warning came as the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) finalized the security plans that will be laid out during the transport of Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines, ballots and other election materials across the country for the May 10 elections.

Director General Jesus Verzosa, PNP chief, said the warning is aimed at preventing any move of the city and municipal mayors to intentionally or unintentionally used local police force in any actions that would jeopardize the conduct of peaceful and clean elections next month.

Verzosa specifically cited Section 51 of RA 6975 which provides that city and municipal mayors shall exercise operational supervision and control over PNP units in their respective jurisdiction, except during the 30-day period immediately preceding and the 30 days following any national, local, and barangay elections.

During this period, Verzosa clarified that the local police forces shall be under the supervision and control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

“This specific provision of the law guarantees that our policemen will not be utilized by local government executives in partisan political activity,” said Verzosa.

On Thursday, Verzosa and military chief of staff General Delfin Bangit presided over a command conference in Camp Crame with members of the PNP Command Group, Directorial Staff, Directors of National Support Units, Regional and District Directors, and Provincial and City Directors, and some military commanders.

During the conference, Verzosa instructed police commanders to closely supervise the physical mobilization of personnel for election duties thru the Joint Security Control Centers in coordination with the AFP, Comelec, PPCRV, and other NGOs to ensure honest, orderly and peaceful elections.

Bangit, for his part, said soldiers will serve as back up forces of the PNP in the transport and retrieval of election machines and materials and in securing polling precincts.

Both officials said that all is already set for the orderly and credible conduct of elections next month, attributing it to the preparations done by both security agencies as early as March last year.