More cops to secure high risk areas as 2025 polls campaign starts

 (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/LYN RILLON)

MANILA, Philippines —  The Philippine National Police (PNP) said that it would deploy additional personnel to identified high-risk areas as the midterm elections’ campaign period for Senate bets and party-list seats gets underway on Tuesday, January 11. 

In a press briefing on Monday, PNP Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said they would maximize police deployment to 403 areas of concern earlier identified by the Commission on Elections (Comelec). 

“Well ang instruction ng ating chief PNP ay we will maximize all available PNP personnel but with respect dito sa mga areas of concerns na as of doon sa last na ipinakita ng Comelec around 403 yan,” Fajardo said. 

(The instruction of the chief PNP is to maximize all PNP personnel in areas of concern, based on the list of Comelec. There are 403 in total.) 

“Of course doon sa mga areas na napasailalim sa yellow, orange and red definitely we will increase our deployment particularly doon sa mga tinatawag natin na mga high risk areas to make sure  na yung mga national candidates including yung party-list nominees natin will have a secure campaign sorties sa mga lugar na ito,” she added. 

(Areas under yellow, orange, and red categories or areas we call high-risk will have additional police deployment. This is to ensure that national candidates and party-list nominees will have secure campaign sorties in these areas.)

Fajardo also said they would mobilize PNP’s provincial and regional mobile forces.  

Last January 9, the Comelec disclosed that 38 areas of concern are under the red category due to serious or grave threats. 

Of this figure, 32 areas under the red category are in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), two each in the Cagayan Valley and Bicol regions, and one each in Western and Eastern Visayas. 

Aside from this, the poll body also identified 177 areas under orange category (with serious threats); 188 under yellow (with a history of election-related incidents); and 1,239 under green (or no security concerns). 

Last January 12, the PNP imposed a nationwide gun ban. 

The police force said that its imposition of a gun ban is aimed at ensuring peace and order, as the government believes it could lessen gun-related violence during the upcoming midterm elections.