PNP: No threat monitored for 2025 polls
Personnel from the Angeles City Police Office gather in formation in this undated photo. The Philippine National Police declared on May 10 that no threats to the May 12 midterms elections were monitored. — Photo from Police Regional Office 3
MANILA, Philippines — No threats were being monitored that would potentially disrupt the midterm polls, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said two days before election day.
Over 163,000 personnel were already deployed by the police force to secure precincts across the country, PNP Public Information Office chief Col. Randulf Tuaño said at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
“We are ready. We are deployed. And we have not monitored, so far, any major threat that can affect or disrupt the coming elections this May 12,” PNP Director for Police Community Relations Maj. Gen. Roderick Augustus Alba said at the same press conference.
Tuaño added that over 3,000 PNP personnel are on standby to serve as special electoral board members, if the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will ask for assistance.
READ: PNP on ‘full alert’ starting May 3 to ensure `safest’ election
When asked about the PNP’s zero-violence goal for the midterm polls, Alba appealed for “cooperation and support” from the candidates and their supporters “to make this work, to become safe and secure during the election.”
41 validated poll-related incidents, 2,940 gun ban violators
According to Tuaño, with two days left before the polls, the police recorded 41 validated election-related incidents (ERI).
The latest PNP data showed that the incidents were logged in the following regions:
Ilocos Region – One violent ERI
Cagayan Valley – Two violent ERIs
Central Luzon – One violent ERI; one non-violent ERI
Calabarzon – Five non-violent ERIs
Bicol Region – One violent ERI; one non-violent ERI
Western Visayas – Two non-violent ERIs
Eastern Visayas – One violent ERI
Zamboanga Peninsula – Three violent ERIs
Davao Region – One violent ERI; one non-violent ERI
Soccsksargen – One violent ERI; one non-violent ERI
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) – Eight violent ERIs
Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) – Seven violent ERIs; four non-violent ERIs
Twenty incidents were still being validated by authorities whether they were related to the midterm polls, the PNP data also showed.
Further, Tuaño shared that the police apprehended 2,940 violators of the gun ban for the election period, composed of the following:
2,812 civilians
48 security guards
19 PNP personnel (17 active-duty officers, one suspended officer, and one officer on absence without official leave)
18 Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) personnel
13 foreigners
Nine elected government officials
Seven personnel of other law enforcement agencies
Six Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) Active Auxiliary personnel
Three children in conflict with the law
Three communist terrorist group members; and
Two appointed government officials
The National Capital Region had the most violators so far with 1,011 as of May 8, followed by Central Visayas (380), Central Luzon (362), Calabarzon (281) and Zamboanga Peninsula (111).
5 vote-buying cases
Tuaño further detailed that the police is currently handling five cases of vote-buying, one each in Ilocos Region, Calabarzon, Bicol Region, Davao Region and the CAR.
“These are the giving out of groceries, or what we call social aid,” Tuaño said in Filipino of the cases.
READ: Ban on ‘ayuda’ distribution 10 days before polls eyed
The Comelec prohibited the distribution of social aid, except for medical or burial assistance, from May 2 to 12 in a bid to combat vote-buying, vote-selling and abuse of state resources.
Tuaño further said the five cases involved 18 respondents.
Monitoring for espionage
When asked about potential spying for the polls, Tuaño said the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) was also deployed to secure the elections.
“They are among those who will be patrolling because we have the capacity to monitor these kinds of espionage activities against our various enemies,” he added.
READ: 2 Chinese nabbed for installing surveillance devices in Bulacan
This came three days after the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group arrested two Chinese nationals allegedly installing devices “capable [of] intercepting, storing, and utilizing information obtained from various communication equipment, particularly cellphones.”
READ: Chinese with spying device nabbed near Comelec
Prior to that, last April 29, a Chinese national was also arrested for allegedly carrying a telephone eavesdropping device near the Comelec./das
