Col. Ramon Zagala, spokesperson of the AFP. (File photo)
MANILA, Philippines — Almost a week after the campaign period began, the military said it will be closely watching seven cities and 39 towns for poll security concerns.
Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Col. Ramon Zagala said in an interview with dzBB on Sunday that the military would be monitoring those areas where trouble pertaining to the local election campaign as well as the national campaign may erupt.
He did not name those areas but he said most of them are in Mindanao.
The campaign period for national candidates began on Feb. 8. For local candidates, the campaign period begins on March 25.
But even this early, there are already tensions in the local race, with a number of candidates killed.
Past incidents
According to Zagala, the localities to be monitored by the military were identified as areas of concern by the Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns (CBFSC) in a meeting on Feb. 8.
The AFP, Philippine National Police and Commission on Elections constitute this committee.
Zagala said past election-related incidents in those areas became the basis for the military to keep an eye on these places.
In each of those areas, “there were at least three suspected election-related incidents in the past two elections,” he said.
Recent killings of local candidates before the start of the campaign period include a candidate for councilor in San Simon town, Pampanga province, and a mayor running for vice governor in Misamis Occidental province.
In November last year, Rogelio Salvador, 42, also a former village chief, was on his way to join a motorcade led by the municipal government of San Simon to promote a vaccination drive, when his vehicle was fired upon by an approaching car along Bambang Road in Barangay San Miguel. Salvador was killed in that ambush.
But immediately following the attack, the police could not yet establish his murder as election violence.
Mayor Michael Gutierrez of Lopez Jaena town, Misamis Occidental, died days after he was shot by unidentified men on Dec. 22 while attending a Christmas fellowship party in Tangub City hosted by outgoing Misamis Occidental Rep. Henry Oaminal, who was wounded in that incident.
During the midterm election period from January to June 2019, 60 violent incidents were recorded, although this was about half of the 133 incidents over the same period in the 2016 polls.
Of the 113 victims of election-related violent incidents in 2019, 23 were killed, down from the 50 reported killed in 2016.
Threat from reds
Zagala noted that security threats could come from private armed groups.
But the biggest security threat to the elections remains the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed component, the New People’s Army, he said.
He said the military expects the rebels to continue their extortion activities, particularly targeting candidates in the collection of fees for so-called permits to campaign.
Zagala emphasized that the AFP remained nonpartisan.
“AFP chief of staff Gen.Andres Centino has ordered all soldiers to participate in the elections by casting their votes, nothing more, nothing less,” he said.
“We rely on the professionalism of our soldiers and all the members of the AFP to abide by this and remain nonpartisan,” he added.
Avoid social media
Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. reminded government troops to stay nonpartisan and to “avoid social media politicking.”
In his visit to the headquarters of the 5th Infantry Division in Camp Melchor F. Dela Cruz, Isabela province, last Friday, Brawner said: “Let me remind you all that we only have two tasks in the coming elections: First is to practice our right of suffrage. Let your vote be counted. Our second role is to make sure that the coming elections will be peaceful and orderly.”
He directed soldiers to refrain from liking, sharing or posting social media content that is political.
“These actions may seem innocent but as members of the AFP, you represent our organization,” Brawner said.