Police officials related to bets running for local elective posts in the 2019 midterm polls will be relieved or re-assigned to other posts, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said on Wednesday.
Albayalde said high-ranking officials of the PNP will meet within the day to study the reshuffle of officials before elections.
“Pag-aaralan natin lahat, magkakaroon kami ng meeting at pag-aaralan namin kung sino yung mga dapat tanggalin. Tatanggalin natin yung mga commander na may mga tumatakbong kamag-anak dun sa lugar nila,” he said in an interview with DZBB.
Albayalde also reminded police officers who are running in the elections that they are considered as resigned from the police service after filing their Certificates of Candidacy (COCs).
Albayalde earlier said that there are around 7,900 barangays and 896 municipalities considered as “election hotspots” — most of which are in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, Eastern Visayas, and Central Visayas.
In response, the PNP will be forming a special operations task force to quickly respond to election-related issues and violence.
READ: PNP to form task force for election-related violence
Election periods in the Philippines have been violent historically, especially in far-flung provinces where political dynasties compete for positions in government.
The November 23, 2009 “Maguindanao Massacre”— the single, largest killing of media personnel — was supposedly an attack on people who were filing a local candidate’s COC. /muf
READ: Maguindanao Massacre – How it Happened