More bets request for police escorts

CEBU, Philippines - Two more candidates for local elective positions have asked the Cebu Provincial Police Office for police escorts for their safety especially during the campaign period.

Pinamungajan mayor Geraldine Yapha, who is seeking for another term, went to the office of provincial police director Erson Digal to inquire about the requirements in asking for police escorts.

Yapha however said she still have to decide who she likes to be assigned as her security.

Democrito Diamante, a businessman, who is seeking the mayoralty post in Tuburan town, also personally met with Digal yesterday to ask for a security detail.

Diamante told reporters that even if he has never received any threat to his life, he still feel concerned over his safety during the campaign period, citing the shooting incident that happened in his town last December that injured his supporter.

But Digal advised the two politicians to directly submit their request to the Commission on Elections offices in their respective towns.

As the new procedure in asking escorts, the requesting party should submit his request to the local Comelec office before it would be submitted to the office of the Regional Joint Security Control Center. This unit is composed of PNP and Comelec personnel who conduct threat assessment on the requesting party.

Digal said once it is proven that there is threat to the life of the requesting party, the JSCC would forward the request to the Comelec Central office for approval.

Earlier, at least 16 candidates in Central Visayas have requested for police escorts citing threats to their lives and were given temporary escorts for 30 days pending the approval of their request.

Under the Comelec guidelines, politicians may be allowed to have police escorts if it is proven that there is a threat to their safety during the election period. – Gabriel C. Bonjoc/WAB   (FREEMAN NEWS)