POLICE chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil has ordered the deployment of additional policemen to “vulnerable areas” ahead of the start of the campaign period for local candidates running in the May elections.
“We have established police assistance desks at campaign venues and deployed additional personnel to vulnerable areas,” Marbil said in a statement yesterday, or two days before the start of the campaign period for local candidates on March 28.
“Our quick reaction forces are on standby. Let it be clear — we are ready,” he added.
Marbil said he has ordered regional, provincial, city and municipal police commanders to take the lead in efforts to ensure peaceful, honest, and orderly elections in their respective areas.
He said policemen must anticipate threats, act swiftly, and maintain strict neutrality, adding he expects policemen to be pro-active in preventing possible election-related violence.
“Commanders on the ground must anticipate threats, act swiftly, and maintain strict neutrality. I expect a proactive stance against any form of election-related violence,” said Marbil.
He also reiterated his warning to policemen against engaging in partisan political activities.
“There will be zero tolerance for any form of partisanship. Any officer found violating election protocols will face immediate administrative and criminal consequences,” he said.
To the candidates, Marbil said they should set the tone for a peaceful election, adding that “leadership begins with respecting the rules of democratic engagement.”
To people who will undermine peace and security of the elections, Marbil said: “We will find you, and we will stop you.”
“To those who seek to sow fear, intimidate voters, or manipulate the elections through violence — this is your final warning: the full force of the law will be upon you. We will not tolerate any attempt to undermine our democracy,” he added.
PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said the PNP is considering deploying more personnel in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“We have areas of concern there in BARMM and we cannot deny there are (election-related) incidents there,” said Fajardo.
“If there is a need to do forward deployment of troops in that region, we are going to do it…. In fact, the deployment of SAF (Special Action Force personnel) is being considered… to ensure we will have peaceful elections in that region,” she added.
The PNP activated Special Task Force-BARMM last Monday to ensure peace and order during the elections in the region.
“The activation of STF-BARMM underscores our dedication to maintaining peace and security, allowing the people of BARMM to exercise their right to vote without fear or intimidation,” Marbil said.
Meanwhile, Elections chairman George Garcia said that despite his suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman, Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro remains a candidate for congressman in the May 12 polls.
In an interview, Garcia said Teodoro’s suspension has no bearing as far as his candidacy for congressman of Marikina City’s first district is concerned.
“As long as there is no final judgment by the courts in the cases he is facing, he will remain as a candidate regardless of the punishment he received from the Ombudsman,” he said.
“The name of the candidate will remain in the ballots, can be voted upon, and can be proclaimed as long as there is no final judgment,” he added.
The poll chief said the decision will bear implications only on the current stint of Teodoro as city mayor.
“What would be affected is his administration of the city under his current term,” said Garcia.
In the 10-page order issued on March 21, the Ombudsman placed Teodoro and 18 other city officials under preventive suspension.
The case alleged Teodoro and his co-accused as committing technical malversation, malversation of public funds, and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019).
Teodoro has already questioned the timing of the suspension slapped by the Ombudsman believing it is politically motivated.
“I am a victim of political persecution. In a desperate attempt to destroy my name, they fabricated numerous cases against me,” said Teodoro in a statement.
In another development, the Gabriela party-list yesterday accused the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) of red-tagging and harassing its nominees and members amid its ongoing campaign activities for the elections.
In its complaint filed before the Comelec, Gabriela alleged that NTF-Elcac committed acts in violation of the Anti-Discrimination and Fair Campaigning Guidelines issued by the poll body.
“The Gabriela party-list, its elected and incumbent officials in Congress, its nominees, officers, and members, have been at the receiving end of a continuous, vicious, and systematic vilification campaign perpetrated by different groups and individuals, such as the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac), the military, individuals, such as Antonio Parlade, Lorraine Badoy, and paid trolls through their respective fake accounts,” said Gabriela.
“We strongly assert that the systematic vilification of party-list organizations and electoral candidates undermines, if not, violates the people’s free exercise of their right to participate in public affairs,” it added.
The party-list cited as an example the press release of NTF-Elcac last March 15 titled “NTC-Elcac slams Gabriela party-list’s desperate, opportunistic politicking.”
“It categorically labels Gabriela women’s party representgtive and Makabayan senatorial aspirant Hon. Arlene D. Brosas of having ties with the CPP-NPA-NDF, and also links her and the Gabriela women’s party to the ‘violence’ attributed to the communist group,” said Gabriela.
The group also took note of the spread of “malicious statements and disinformation” against Gabriela through tje social media pages of both real persons and fake accounts.
Lastly, Gabriela said it is also being labelled as communists and/or terrorists in posters and tarpaulins being posted in various locations nationwide.
It asked the Comelec to take action against the series of discriminatory acts targeting Gabriela party-list.
“We trust that the Commission, standing by its mandate, implement and enforce the necessary measures to curtail these prohibited acts and to hold those responsible accountable for their actions,” it said.
Garcia said the poll body will refer the matter to the Task Force Safe, which is the panel tasked to implement its anti-discrimination policies.
“The Comelec is serious in implementing these policies of no discrimination based on sex, religion, HIV status, persons with disabilities, and being a member of a group or organization,” he said. – With Gerard Naval
