PNP reassigns nearly 3,000 cops with kin running in BSKE

Nearly 3,000 members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) who have relatives who are running in the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) have been temporarily reassigned.

The PNP said there are also policemen who have been temporarily moved because of their affiliations with some candidates. 

“With regards to the statistics on personnel who were transferred due to their most likely affiliations, aside from pagiging affinity by blood relations, they are those based on intelligence reports that are kapag talagang medyo may familiarity at naapektuhan or naimpluwensiyahang ‘yung election on the ground,” PNP chief Police General Benjamin Acorda said during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.

“These are the personnel that were subjected for transfer, and as of this date, there are 2,956 that were transferred,” Acorda said.

The Philippines’ top cop said that although there is an election ban on the appointment of government officials and employees, there is nothing preventing the PNP from transferring personnel that need to be reassigned in relation to the upcoming polls.

On Friday, the PNP said 249 barangays were classified under the “red” category or an area of concern.

For the orange category, 1,344 barangays were identified, and for the yellow category, 1,010 barangays were classified.

Yellow areas may have intense partisan political rivalry and candidates possibly employing partisan armed groups. These areas may also have been previously declared under Comelec control.

Orange areas exhibit two or more factors under the yellow category or a serious armed threat posed by local terrorist groups and other threat groups.

The red category refers to areas with one or more factors described under the yellow category and serious armed threats posed by local terrorist groups.

The BSKE is set to be held on October 30. —VAL, GMA Integrated News