PNP cancels vacation leaves, travels abroad

Philippine National Police director Oscar Calderon has cancelled all vacation leaves of all PNP personnel and prohibited all police senior officials from traveling abroad during the election period.

A memorandum sent by PNP Directorate for Personnel and Records Management chief Nicolas Pasinos stated that since the PNP is one of the agencies deputized by the Commission on Elections to conduct an honest and peaceful election, all vacation leaves from March 30 to June 14 have been suspended.

The memorandum referred to Comelec Resolution No.788 promulgated last December 20, which entitled: "Deputation of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, including the National Police Commission, the PNP and all other law enforcement agencies for the purpose of ensuring a free, honest and credible conduct of elections."

It also stated that those vacation leaves that were already approved prior to the issuance of the directive would be cancelled.

Aside from the suspension of leaves, Camp Crame has also issued a memorandum prohibiting senior police officials from traveling abroad.

The PNP, according to the memorandum, expects some groups to sow chaos during the election, aside from the intense campaign waged by rival candidates that might result to bloodshed. -Flor Z. Perolina/LPM