PNP orders chiefs to identify security threats

PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos. (Photo from PNP PIO)

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police commanders have been tasked to assess and possibly identify security threats in their areas ahead of the start of the campaign period for local candidates on March 25.

Gen. Dionardo Carlos, chief of the PNP, at a briefing on Monday in Camp Crame told reporters that he expected the police commanders to submit their reports to higher headquarters on Tuesday.

“Last March 7, during our conference, I gave specific actions to be undertaken because I wanted [police commanders] to assess and identify [local] candidates really under threat because the assessment must really come from the ground,” he said.

Once problem areas or politicians under threat are pinpointed by police ground commanders, “we can consolidate all of these personalities and then decide from there,” Carlos said, referring to the level of security to be put up in a given locality.

“Before March 25, we will already have deployments depending on the assessment [by police commanders],” he said.

“The deployment would be preventive, so if [local candidates] have activities it is important that they coordinate with us because we have security packages at different levels,” Carlos said.

Regional police directors, who require more personnel, have also been instructed to communicate with the area police commands for the deployment of regional mobile force battalions, some members of which have been trained in VIP security operations.

Carlos explained that the regional mobile force battalions fall under the operational control of the area police commands or directorates for integrated police operations.

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