PNP validating potential election watchlist areas for Eleksyon 2022

The Philippine National Police on Tuesday said it is now validating the election watchlist of areas (EWA) that will be assisted with a strategic plan to ensure order and security in the May 2022 polls.

In a statement, PNP chief Police General Dionardo Carlos said concerned police units are already collating information to determine these areas.

“Predict, Plan, Prepare, Practice, Perform Professionally—that is our thrust in fulfilling our duties of securing peaceful elections,” he said.

According to the PNP, these are the following factors that will be considered in validating EWAs:

• the area is relatively peaceful and with no security concerns
• occurrence of suspected election related incident in the last elections
• existence of intense partisan political rivalry

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• possible employment of partisan armed groups
• occurrence of politically motivated election related incidents
• previously declared under Comelec control
• presence of serious armed threats posed by the threat groups

These areas will be placed under four color-coded categories such as Green for Peaceful; Yellow for Areas of Concern; Orange for Areas of Immediate Concern; and Red for Areas of Grave Concern.

The PNP clarified that the classification system should be “construed negatively against any local government unit.”

“It gives us ample opportunity to suppress criminality or to take a proactive approach in maintaining peace in the community,” Carlos said.

He pointed out that the measure has been effective in planning for the mobilization and deployment of law enforcement. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA News