FIVE more confirmed election-related violent incidents (ERVIs) were reported by the PNP yesterday, bringing the total ERVIs throughout the country to 10.
During the Laging Handa public briefing, PNP spokeswoman Col. Jean Fajardo said the 10 were among the 52 poll-related incidents initially reported during the election period, which began last January 9.
“Out of the 52 incidents, 28 are considered non-election related incidents and 14 are undergoing investigation so they are classified as suspected election-related incidents,” said Fajardo.
“The remaining 10 are validated election-related incidents,” Fajardo also said.
In a television interview, Fajardo said four of the 10 validated ERVIs occurred in the Ilocos region, three in Zamboanga Peninsula while Central Luzon, Northern Mindanao and Cordillera Administrative Region recorded one incident each.
In an interview last April 20, Fajardo said the PNP initially received 28 cases of election-related incidents, of which five were confirmed to be related to the elections. Twenty-one were found not related to the polls and two were subject to validation.
Fajardo said there were 133 validated ERVIs during the 2016 elections and 33 validated ERVIs during the 2019 elections.
Fajardo also stressed the PNP is well-prepared for the election day on Monday.
“We are all systems go,” said Fajardo, adding they are finalizing the deployment of policemen in the field, especially in areas of election concern.
Today, Wednesday, the PNP is set to have a ceremonial sendoff for 12,000 policemen composing the Reactionary Standby Support Forces (RSSF) at Camp Crame.
Fajardo said the number is on top of the 56,000 policemen that were earlier earmarked to secure the elections.
Fajardo said the 12,000 RSSF personnel are assigned to Camp Crame and other police headquarters.
She said the policemen will be deployed in areas where they are registered voters.
“After they cast their votes, they will go to the police stations to augment the local stations,” said Fajardo.
Meanwhile, 2,973 individuals have been arrested for violating the election gun ban since January 9, said Fajardo.
Fajardo said among those arrested were 17 soldiers and 17 policemen. She said 2,264 assorted firearms were seized during the period, along with 111 explosives, 975 bladed weapons and 11,985 ammunition.
Metro Manila had the highest number of arrested gun ban violators with 1,114, followed by Calabarzon with 329, Central Visayas with 313, Central Luzon with 273 and Eastern Visayas with 183.
