NCRPO to deploy 20,000 cops for barangay, SK elections

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) will deploy 20,000 cops on May 14, the day of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, NCRPO chief Director Camilo Cascolan said on Wednesday.

Sixteen thousand (16,000) of these cops will be fanned out at polling stations and precincts across Metro Manila. An additional 4,000 from the district mobile force will be on patrol, a number which Cascolan said would increase as the Philippine National Police headquarters sends additional officers.

The hefty deployment belies what Cascolan said had been a peaceful election season thus far. Since the start of the election period on April 14, the NCRPO had not monitored any election-related violence, he said.

It was deemed that the death of Anthony Joseph Echavez, who was gunning for councilor at Barangay 4, Pasay City, was motivated by “personal reasons,” Cascolan added. Echavez was shot dead outside his home on April 30 by motorcycle-riding gunmen.

The NCRPO head also said there were no hotspots identified in Metro Manila for this year’s elections, only five “areas of concern” — one in the southern Metro and four in the city of Manila.

PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde had previously said that up to 53 areas in Metro Manila had been identified as “election watch-list areas.”

“My reminder to police is to be alert,” Cascolan said. “Be alert to everything happening so that you can respond swiftly.” /je