PNP activates task group to investigate election-related violent incidents

By Ronron
May 16, 2007

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Calderon activated on Wednesday an investigation task group that will validate all reported election-related violent incidents (ERVI’s) this mid-term elections.

Calderon said Chief Supt. Geary Barias, head of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) and Commander of the PNP Task Force USIG, will head the task group that falls under the PNP Task Force HOPE (Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections).

“I have strengthened my investigation team to be headed by Gen. Barias also. But let us not confuse this with USIG because this (task group) will be in charge of the 217 election cases registered,” Calderon told reporters in Camp Crame yesterday.

“They will categorize which of the incidents are election-related, which ones are not, which are acts of terrorism, and NPA (New People’s Army) related,” he added.

In a news conference later in the day, Barias said Calderon particularly ordered him to prioritize the attack and burning of a school in Taysan, Batangas, and the ambush of the followers of Lagayan, Abra mayor Cecilia Luna.

As of May 15, the PNP has recorded a total of 256 ERVI’s, 153 of which are already confirmed to be politically motivated.

Asked if the new assignment will affect the TF USIG investigation on killings of militants and media personalities, Barias said: “No, it will not suffer. We have dedicated personnel for Task Force USIG, and separate personnel for the election-related incidents.”

The TF USIG is currently investigating 116 cases of militant killings and 26 killings of journalists. It was created in May last year by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to address the spate of unexplained killings since she assumed power in 2001./DMS