PNP on nationwide full alert status for May 9 polls

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Saturday placed its forces nationwide on full alert status for the May 9 local and national elections.

"Ngayon naka-full alert status na ang PNP base sa direktiba ni PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez," PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent wilben Mayor told radio dzBB in an interview.

Under a full alert status, all leaves of police personnel are cancelled and all policemen are required to be in their stations and ready for deployment.

Mayor said even policemen who are in "schooling" and those who are supposed to be attending seminars have been recalled.

"Stop trainings, seminars lahat dahil balik sila sa mga yunit nila para ma-maximize ang kanilang deployment," he said.

He also said that the PNP has started accounting for the reserve forces from the national down to the regional level.

He said the reserve forces will be deployed in case additional police troops are needed in certain areas.

Mayor said they have started to gradually deploy additional police personnel to areas that have been included in the election watchlist.

Provinces included in the election watchlist are Abra, Pangasinan, Masbate, Negros Oriental, Lanao Del Sur, Maguindanao and Western Samar.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), meanwhile, will be placed on heightened alert status by next week, military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said in a separate radio dzBB interview.

"Ang ating alert status ngayon ay nasa normal pa... Magha-heightened alert na tayo sa susunod na linggong darating," Padilla said.

Meanwhile, he said the AFP has intensified its monitoring of possible threat groups as part of its security preparation for the local and national elections.

Padilla added that as part of the military's security arrangement with the PNP, the AFP's forces will not be deployed in cities where there are enough number of policemen during the elections.

"Ang aming puwersa ay hindi humihimpil sa mga siyudad kundi sa mga lugar kung saan manipis lang ang hanay ng kapulisan," he said.

He also clarified that the AFP only has a supporting role in the security preparations for the upcoming elections. —ALG, GMA News