Director General Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr., PNP chief, yesterday gave this assurance to the people of Mindanao, as the official campaign for national positions in the May 10 polls started the other day.
However, Ebdane said the PNP, in close coordination of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), is keeping a tight watch on potential areas where election-related violence traditionally explodes, like the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, and the cities of Marawi and some parts of Cotabato. "We also pinpointed some 4,000 municipalities in the entire country."
He also said that they are closely watching the reported 114 armed partisan groups who are operating in the identified "troubled hot spot areas" in some parts of the country, particularly in Mindanao. He said that appropriate steps and counter-measures are being readied to dismantle these groups and other violent elements.
The PNP chief, who is in Mindanao to personally assess the political and peace and order situations on the southern island, said "the whole police force will be on high alert and deployed all over the country."
Ebdane said the PNP hierarchy is also deploying more additional firearms, vehicles, and communications facilities to beef up the firepower in identified "hot spots" or areas of immediate concern. "Last year, we already asked the national government for additional logistical support to beef up the needs of our men in the field," he said.
He also mentioned that all regional and provincial mobile forces and special task forces who already underwent seminar on election duty undertaken by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) were already deployed at various parts of the country, especially in identified immediate areas of concern.
Under the law, the Comelec is empowered to deputize any government agency for specific tasks during the elections. As in previous elections, it has deputized the PNP to enforce election laws, rules, and regulations, and secure peace and order before and after the May 10 elections.
The PNP chief commended the Police Regional Office (PRO) 13 under the leadership of Chief Supt. Alberto R. Olario for the strict implementation of the Comelec Resolution No. 6446, which prohibits the carrying of firearms without the Comelec permit. The PRO 13 already arrested nine persons for violating the election gun ban, and are now facing charges at various courts in the region.
The police chief also ordered the rank-and-file of the PNP to be non-partisan and urged them to refrain from issuing inflammatory statements that tend to be partisan or heighten pre-election tensions.
Meanwhile, top officials of the PRO 13, Comelec, DILG, AFP, and other concerned government agencies held a meeting at PRO 13 regional command here yesterday and map out strategies that will ensure the safety of poll workers, and peaceful, honest, and credible May 10 polls. The meeting was led by Chief Supt. Olario, the Joint Task Force Caraga commander.
Surigao del Norte legislator Sen. Robert Z. Barbers and Presidential Assistant for Northeastern Mindanao Jose "Joboy" Aquino lauded the PRO 13, 401st Brigade, and 402nd Brigade for the deployment of troops in various areas in the region to avert any untoward incidents as the May 10 polls is just 90 days to go.
Comelec commissioners
The two lawyers appointed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to the positions left by two Comelec commissioners who retired on Feb. 2 were officially inducted yesterday at the Supreme Court (SC) in Manila.
The newly appointed commissioners — Manuel Barcelona and Virgilio Garcellano — took their oath of office before SC Justice Dante Tinga and will now join Comelec in time for the preparations for the May elections.
Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. said that the installation of Garcellano and Barcelona was made when Congress is not in session and is therefore an ad interim appointment of the President.
Abalos said that the appointments of Garcellano and Barcelona were "seriously considered" by Malacañang.
He said that the two new commissioners are known to be dedicated and respected in the legal profession.
Barcelona, a UP graduate in 1957, is a principal partner of the Barcelona, Barcelona, and Magdamit Law Offices. He served as chairman of the board of the Philippine Postal Corp. (PhilPost) until he was appointed to the Comelec.
A batchmate of Abalos, Barcelona’s reputation in the legal profession is said to be remarkable, having held top posts in the Philippine Bar Association and member of prominent law organizations.
On the other hand, Garcellano, prior to his appointment, worked in the Commission since 1961 and was trained first as a fieldman. He also served as Comelec Regional Director in Cagayan de Oro City and in Regions 5, 9, and 12.
Garcellano graduated from the University of the East College of Law in 1960 before working in Comelec. He also served as Comelec director during the Marcos years until after Corazon Aquino became president in 1986.
He was tagged by Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. as among the poll officials involved in the dagdag-bawas (vote-padding and shaving) which led to the senator’s defeat in the Senate in the 1995 elections.
But Abalos said that it is unfair to accuse Garcellano in this issue, saying that there were no charges filed against him even before.
The newly appointed Comelec commissioners replaced Commissioners Luzviminda Tancangco and Ralph Lantion who retired on Feb. 2 after serving the Commission for seven years. (Rico C. Navarro and Hannah Torregoza)
