GMA orders crackdown on election violence

President Arroyo ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday to crack down on the worsening outbreaks of election-related violence, including assassination attempts against candidates running in the May 10 general elections.

The directive came in the wake of an assassination attempt on a congressional candidate in Palanas, Masbate last Friday that left three people dead. Lina Seachon, survived the ambush.

"The PNP must leave no stone unturned in the investigation of the Masbate incident in order to bring the perpetrators to justice," she said. The President condemned all "attacks against political candidates as an attack to the democratic process."

In her statement, Mrs. Arroyo reminded PNP chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. of her previous instructions on ensuring clean and orderly elections.

"The PNP must conduct a close watch over the armed groups and preempt poll-related violence," she said.

The President issued the instructions to the PNP after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) deputized the PNP, the military and other law enforcement agencies for the May elections.

Mrs. Arroyo was concerned over reports that armed groups allegedly maintained by some local leaders were behind some of the violence. More than 100 incidents of poll-related violence have been recorded since the start of the campaign in February.

Many incidents were blamed on assassination attempts by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels on local candidates. One incident of poll-related violence occurs daily, the PNP says.

Before the campaign for local candidates started on March 25, incidents of poll violence averaged one every two days. — Marichu Villanueva, Christina Mendez