PNP: Only 14 validated election-related incidents recorded ahead of May 9 polls

Two days before the May 9 elections, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Saturday that there were 14 validated election-related incidents  since the beginning of the election period on January 9, 2022.

At the formal activation of the PNP Media Action Center, PNP spokesperson Police Col. Jean Fajardo said that as of May 7, the police force recorded 61 incidents, 40 of which are “considered non-election incidents.”

Meanwhile, police were investigating seven suspected election-related incidents “to confirm whether these... can be classified as election-related incidents.”

“The remaining 14 incidents are validated election-related incidents already,” Fajardo said, noting that the validated incidents are trespassing, physical injury, grave threats, life threats, and shooting incidents.

Of the 14 validated election-related incidents, five were in Region III, four in Region I, three in Region IX, and one each in Region X and the Cordillera Administrative Region.

Fajardo said the validated election-related incidents recorded during the 2022 polls are way fewer than the 133 validated cases recorded in 2016 and 60 validated cases in 2019.

“Umaasa ang hanay ng pulisya na hindi ito madadagdagan dahil nga mas pinaigting na seguridad ng PNP lalo’t dalawang araw na lang mula ngayon ay ito na nga ang electoral process sa May 9 nakalatag na,” she said.

(The police force is hoping these will not increase as the security measures, especially two days before the May 9 polls, are already laid out.)

Fajardo added that the PNP identified possible post-election scenarios, and the police prepared contingency measures to address these.

“Inaasahan ng PNP na magiging smooth ‘yung conduct ng elections,” she said.

(The PNP is expecting that the elections will go smoothly.) — DVM, GMA News