PNP eyeing 4 more provinces for its election ‘high risk’ list

PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr. INQUIRER.NET FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine National Police said Wednesday that it is looking into placing four more provinces in PNP’s list of areas of concern for the upcoming midterm elections in May.

Speaking to reporters, Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr., PNP spokesman, said they are considering adding Ilocos Norte, Sulu, Zamboanga del Norte and Northern Samar in the 15 areas of concern earlier identified by the PNP.

In November last year, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas named Abra, Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Cagayan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Batangas, Cavite, Masbate, Samar, Misamis Occidental, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, and Basilan as among the “high risk” provinces where violence related to the elections is likely to occur.

Roxas said the provinces were tagged “high-risk” based on several factors such as the existence of private armed groups in the area, number of election-related violence; loose, expired, and unrenewed firearms; intense political rivalry; organized crime groups; and other threat groups.

The same factors were being considered in including the four provinces on the list, as well as the intense political rivalry among contenders in the local level.

Cerbo said there at least 43 active private armed groups are operating nationwide, but added that many of these have been identified and that operations are continuously being conducted for their possible arrest.

However, Cerbo said they are still studying options of putting the four additional provinces as areas of concern depending on the critical factors attributed to it.

Meanwhile, Cerbo said PNP chief, Director General Alan Purisima expressed dissatisfaction on the performance of election task groups for their alleged failure to satisfy their chief on their efforts to ensure secure and fair elections in May.

Without naming names, Cerbo said in Filipino that the CPNP [chief PNP] had already scolded some of their members because there are task group commanders who submitted poor accomplishment reports.

He said they were advised by Purisima to exert “more serious efforts.”

Since PNP implemented the Commission on Elections gun-ban rule, at least 2, 087 firearms have been confiscated, 2,168 persons arrested: 29 government officials; 26 policemen; 13 AFP; 104 security guards; 3 Cafgus; once each from BFP, BJMP and Law enforcement agencies.