Police ready for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls

By Ronron
October 24, 2007

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said that despite the deadly blast at the Glorietta 2 mall in Makati City last Friday, it is already ready for the security on October 29 when the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections will be held.

“The PNP is all systems go. Your PNP is already ready,” Deputy Director General Reynaldo Varilla, deputy chief for Operations of the PNP and head of the PNP task force for the October 29 local elections, told reporters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Varilla said they will be fielding at least two personnel for every polling center, along with some members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP); intensify their checkpoints; monitor the movements of partisan armed groups (PAGS); and, strictly implement the gun ban.

Citing current figures, Varilla foresees a peaceful barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan election this year, compared to the last similar polls in 2002.

The PNP has so far recorded 14 election-related violent incidents (ERVI) since the start of the election period last September 29. The incidents have so far claimed the lives of 10 people, including two barangay chairmen candidates, one barangay kagawad candidate, and three incumbent barangay officials; and the wounding of eight other people.

Varilla said this figure is way below the 159 ERVI’s in the 2002 polls that left 75 people killed, many of whom are candidates then.

“The situation now is very, very much peaceful,” he said.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesman James Jimenez echoed Varilla’s statement, citing the efforts of the PNP, the coordination of the two agencies, and the vigilance of the public.

Also, he surmised that the people must still be tired of the May 14 elections, thus their rejection of violence.

But Varilla said they will closely monitor the situation in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) where most of the areas of concern come from.

“In areas where there is security threat, the Comelec has deputized the AFP to help the PNP,” he said.

Jimenez said the barangay elections is necessary in the country because village officials serve as front liner of the government, particularly in its services to the people. Thus, he encouraged the people to vote on Monday.

Voting will start from 7am until 3pm, and results are expected within 48 hours after the start of the counting, said Jimenez./DMS