Police records fewer election-related violent incidents this year compared to last two national polls

By Ronron
July 3, 2007

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has recorded fewer election-related violent incidents (ERVI’s) this year compared to the 2004 and 2001 national polls.

Records released Tuesday by PNP Directorate for Operations chief Director Wilfredo Garcia showed that only 146 violent incidents that happened during the election period from January 14 until June 13 of this year can be regarded as election-related.

The number is smaller compared to the 249 ERVI’s in 2004, and 269 in 2001.

At one point, the figure for this year reached 231, with 177 deaths and 214 injuries, based on the June 12 record of the PNP. But Garcia said it was eventually cut off after validation efforts proved that some of those cases are not related to politics or the elections.

PNP Task Force HOPE (Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections) commander Deputy Director General Antonio Billones said their relatively “successful” security preparations for the May 14 polls this year can be attributed to “a combination of several factors.”

He enumerated said factors as “preemptive action of identifying areas of concern for PNP priority in deployment of troops; conduct of checkpoints to deter and control movement of armed groups, guns, and other deadly weapons; strict implementation of gun ban; police visibility; providing security to candidates; awareness and information drive; community support and public concern; media support and coverage; and, politicians’ attitude.”

The record showed only 75 were killed out of the 146 ERVI’s this year, way below the 189 record in 2004 and 111 in 2001.

Of those killed this year, 23 are politicians and candidates. In 2004 and 2001, 41 and 21 politicians and candidates, respectively, were killed.

As to the number of people injured, this year also posted a smaller figure of 129 compared to 279 in 2004, and 253 in 2001.

“We are more prepared and better organized for this elections. We did and implemented the plans well ahead of time,” Garcia said for his part.

This year’s elections tapped the services of the PNP in securing all polling and canvassing centers nationwide after the deputation in the 2004 polls of the Armed Forces of the Philippines by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) was marred with alleged irregularities, particularly engagement in partisan politics./DMS