CAMP RUPERTO KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte – The Philippine National Police (PNP) in Eastern Visayas is considering to relieve the entire police force in an area with an “extreme and worst” peace and order scenario in the region, particularly in the three Samar provinces where criminality has alarmed law enforcers. If unresolved, criminality in these areas is expected to escalate as the 2010 election nears.

PNP-7 Regional Director, PCSupt. Mario Sandiego told media here that the swapping of police areas between areas is one of the moves his office is strongly considering way before the synchronized local and national elections next year.

Sandiego underlined that if violence and other form of criminalities in an area continues, his office will not hesitate to recommend to PNP Chief Director General Jesus Verzosa to relieve the entire force in that area and swap it for another police force from another area in the region.

He cited the case in Samar’s first Congressional District where violence has been occurring unabated, with 34 killings so far this year, many of which are politically motivated. Other cases he pointed at are those which have happened in Northern Samar including the recent killings of Manolo Daza, elder brother of Northern Samar Governor Raul Daza and Father Cecilio Lucero, brother of the province’s Vice-Governor, Atty. Antonio Lucero.

This move of relieving an entire police force in an area is not new, explained Sandiego, as this had been done in Abra wherein the entire police force was relieved and swapped with another police force as a result of continued violence in that province in the 2007 elections.

Sandiego disclosed that his office is currently closely monitoring the situation in all the Samar provinces especially those considered criminal hot spots.

He expressed optimism that violence in the province will be neutralized and said there seems to have been an easing off of killings in past weeks. Still, the recent killings of Fr. Lucero and Daza, which has rocked Eastern Visayas, remains unsolved.