MANILA, Philippines ? Lieutenant General Delfin Bangit will not get any support from the head of the Philippine National Police should the newly designated military chief help ensure President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo?s hold on power.

?According to the Constitution, we must have a new President after June 30,? Director General Jesus Verzosa told Philippine Daily Inquirer editors and reporters over dinner in Makati City on Tuesday.

The PNP chief also vowed to thwart unlawful attempts to undermine the electoral process in May and the takeover of any government institution, especially the Commission on Elections.

The 120,000-strong police organization, he said, has enough resources to ?protect the rights of our people? and would remain loyal to the Constitution.

Even his close ties to Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, one of Ms Arroyo?s most trusted lieutenants, will not sway him to obey illegal orders, Verzosa said.

When asked what he would do if Bangit named Ms Arroyo as president in case of a failure of elections, Verzosa said he would seek guidance from the Supreme Court.

?We will not support any unconstitutional acts. We will do all things to preserve our democracy and the democratic processes,? he said.

?That?s why it?s very important that our Supreme Court is intact.?

Asked what would constitute an illegal act, he replied: ?The capture of government agencies, the violation of the right on domicile and even the [control] of the media.?

Bangit?s appointment as new Armed Forces chief has fueled speculation that Ms Arroyo would try to hold on to power by using the military to disrupt the elections.

A member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1978, Bangit took over the AFP leadership from General Victor Ibrado who bowed out of service on Wednesday after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56.

Verzosa dismissed insinuations that Ms Arroyo might appoint Metro Manila police chief Director Roberto Rosales to replace him soon as part of the so-called ?Oplan August Moon.?

The purported plot was supposedly aimed at installing members of the PMA Class 1978, which adopted Ms Arroyo as its mistah (classmate), in key positions in the PNP and AFP to let the President have total control of the police and the military.

But Verzosa dismissed as mere speculation stories that he was offered an ambassadorial position for him to opt for early retirement and let Rosales take the helm of the PNP.

?This is actually the first time that I heard of such rumors,? he said, smiling.

Verzosa said he was bent on finishing his police career on December 25 while working for the attainment of the PNP?s Integrated Transformation Program.

?I want to leave the PNP as a more credible, efficient and competent organization. That would be my legacy,? he said.

Rumors about the looming failure of elections were further amplified by sporadic power outages across the archipelago and questions over the credibility of the Comelec in supervising the country?s first ever automated polls.

But Verzosa downplayed the allegations, saying the election body was confident that it could effectively automate the elections.

He said there was no reason to suspect that Ms Arroyo would use the Armed Forces to create an artificial power vacuum.

Nonetheless, the PNP has been preparing for the possibility of a failure of elections, he said, adding he has directed the PNP legal officers to study its legal implications.

?We are considering all scenarios, including a failure of elections. We are getting ready with our legal actions,? he said.

He said the PNP has been talking with other sectors to ensure the orderly conduct of the local and national elections.

Asked if the PNP could protect the people in the event of an election failure, he answered: ?Yes, definitely. But we need your support.?

He also urged the public to stay vigilant and help the police in guarding against people plotting to damage the country?s democratic institutions.

Aside from possible technical glitches in the precinct count optical scan machines, Verzosa said the people must be wary of individuals who might deliberately delay the voting inside the polling places.

Under the automated elections system, at least three polling precincts would be clustered into one with a total of about 1,000 registered voters in each cluster.

?Some groups or politicians might order their supporters to intentionally stay longer inside the precinct to cast their ballots to prevent others from voting,? he warned.

?If that happens, then we will have problems there.?

Verzosa said the police would strictly monitor areas where the Comelec might implement manual voting.

He said the Comelec would furnish the PNP with the list of these places in the next few days.

Verzosa said the police and the military were closely working with the Comelec in enforcing election laws.

?Everything we are doing, such as the conduct of checkpoints, the enforcement of gun ban and limiting the security escorts of politicians, are aimed at ensuring the success of the elections.?