PNP: More cops sent to some north, south Luzon areas for polls

More police personnel have been deployed to some areas in Bondoc Peninsula in southern Quezon province and in Pangasinan in northern Luzon to ensure security of the 2022 elections, the Philippine National Police said Wednesday.

At the Laging Handa public briefing, PNP chief Police General Dionardo Carlos said they have been deploying regional special operations task groups (RSOTGs) in areas of concern as early as March 8.

“Ang huli ko pong dinagdagan ng additional police presence ay sa apat na bayan sa Bondoc Peninsula at sa Pangasinan.  Ang Pangasinan naman po ay apat na bayan lang ‘yan pero nagpalagay na po ako ng RSOTG. And all the rest were already in place by the regional directors,” he said.

(The latest areas where I deploy additional police presence are in four areas in Bondoc Peninsula and Pangasinan. Pangasinan only has four areas but I already placed RSOTG.)

This is to avoid disorder and intense political rivalry in these areas, according to Carlos.

On April 7, Carlos said they also deployed RSOTGs to places considered as election areas of concern, for instance, Samar and Masbate.

“Samar automatic meron na kaming kaagad nilagay because of history pero walang nangyayari doon. Masbate we already placed our RSOTGs,” he said.

On Monday, the PNP said only the municipalities of Tubaran and Malabang in Lanao del Sur were placed under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) due to threats on the May 9 elections.

PNP‘s Directorate for Operations director Police Major General Valeriano de Leon said the Comelec has released a list of 114 areas considered as red areas, based on the recommendation by the PNP.

More patrols, checkpoints, and intelligence efforts will be launched for areas under the red category, according to De Leon.

Earlier, the PNP submitted to the poll body a list of areas in the country based on the level of threats in connection with the May 9 elections. Areas were classified into four color-coded categories: green, yellow, orange, and red.

Green areas are considered generally peaceful for the conduct of elections, the PNP said.

Yellow areas have reported suspected election-related incidents in the past two polls, possible presence of armed groups, and intense political rivalries. Yellow areas are considered “areas of concern.”

Orange areas have a recorded presence of armed groups such as the New People's Army that may interrupt the polls. These are considered “areas of immediate concern.”

Meanwhile, red areas meet the parameters for yellow and orange areas. Security forces will focus on monitoring these areas with a possibility for violence and intense political fights among local candidates. —LBG, GMA News