The Philippine National Police on Sunday said it was all set for the May 9 elections and the country’s situation remained “relatively peaceful” despite 16 election-related incidents that they classified as isolated.
“One day before the actual election, we are considering our preparation and the situation as relatively peaceful,” Col. Jean Fajardo, spokesperson for the PNP, said at a press conference.
Around 67 million Filipinos will vote on Monday to choose candidates for 18,100 positions, including president, vice president, 12 senators, over 300 members of the House of Representatives, 81 governors and thousands of other local officials.
Fajardo said they have prepared a contingency plan “for all possible scenarios” that might take place during the elections.
The PNP has listed 16 validated election-related incidents from Jan. 9 to May 8, including two recent shooting incidents in Ilocos Sur and Nueva Ecija provinces.
133 poll-related incidents
“These are good indicators. These are good numbers,” Fajardo said. The PNP recorded 133 election-related incidents in 2016 and 60 incidents in 2019.
Fajardo said they have deployed additional forces in Gen. Tinio, Nueva Ecija, after a gunfight ensued between security personnel of incumbent Mayor Isidro Pajarillaga and mayoral candidate Virgilio Bote on Saturday. Five were wounded from the incident.
200K cops, 69K soldiers
Another shooting incident involving supporters of mayoral candidates Lorry Salvador Jr. and Alrico Favis in Magsingal, Ilocos Sur, on Saturday left four dead and four injured.
The PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine Coast Guard on Wednesday sent off security forces that will be deployed for the elections. Fajardo said they would deploy around 200,000 police forces with an additional 12,000 standby force.
Around 40,000 of these will man the checkpoints, with 70 to 80,000 police will be sent to polling centers, and the rest will serve as convoy security and secure Commission on Election (Comlec) facilities, she said.
The AFP said it would deploy 69,705 soldiers who will focus on critical areas of concern identified by the Comelec.
“We are confident that we’ll have a secure and orderly election. We are prepared for contingency just in case. It’s important that all our command centers at all levels should be able to communicate to us any eventuality,” said Col. Ramon Zagala, spokesperson for the AFP.
The Philippine Army also deployed on Sunday additional troops to assist the PNP in Metro Manila, according to Col. Xerxes Trinidad, spokesperson for the Army, adding that at least 50,000 soldiers were earlier dispatched for the elections. INQ
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