MANILA, Philippines — With the increase of killings in recent months of candidates in the May midterm elections, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año has ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to boost its security measures for local officials and candidates ahead of the campaign period.
“The PNP should intensify police interventions, operations, and police visibility. Bago pa man magsimula ang kampanya, ipakita na natin na laging nakaalerto ang kapulisan para magdalawang-isip ang mga gustong manggulo sa eleksyon,” Año said in a statement.
Año added that local police should also immediately coordinate with local officials and candidates in order to secure their places of engagements and provide security assistance to persons with validated actual threats.
“This is in addition to the security and protection personnel that they could request from the PNP-PSPG (Police Security and Protection Group),” he said.
But he also noted that local officials and candidates should also be mindful of their own personal safety.
“The police cannot secure every single candidate or citizen every single moment of the day. Tungkulin din ng mga kandidato na mag-ingat at protektahan ang sarili nila at ang kanilang pamilya,” he says.
The PNP-Police Community Relations Group will also release its “Handbook on Personal Security for Candidates to Government Elective Positions,” which contains precautionary tips for candidates and their security teams during the election period. /muf