PNP ready for the worst after polls

Whether or not President Arroyo wins a full six-year term in the May elections, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has mapped out the necessary security measures should losing presidential candidates and their supporters protest the official results.

Top police officials have discussed the possibility of losing bets’ bringing their protests to the streets in riots similar to the chaos spawned by unruly supporters of deposed President Joseph Estrada on May 1, 2001.

In what was dubbed "EDSA III," Estrada’s supporters laid siege to Malacañang to protest his ouster and the subsequent installation of Mrs. Arroyo as head of state.

"We have prepared for the post-election activities and (mapped out) contingency (measures)," PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Joel Goltiao said. "We have the civil disturbance management (CDM) units, which will handle the situation."

Goltiao said the PNP has formulated these contingency measures and alerted all regional and provincial CDM units to prepare for any eventuality.

The PNP will use water cannons to disperse protesters who may again attempt to barge into Malacañang.

"We will prevent them (from taking over the Palace)," Goltiao said. "Those who obstruct the major roads and thoroughfares will also be accosted."

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Benjamin Abalos raised concerns about post-election violence during the recent command conference by the PNP in Subic, Zambales.

Abalos expressed concern that some political groups of losing candidates in the May 10 elections may take to the streets in protest.

According to Abalos, political parties of opposing coalitions have been warning against massive election cheating by either side.

He lashed out at critics, who said the voters’ list has yet to be compiled and that a contract for indelible ink to combat fraud had yet to be awarded ahead of the elections.

"I have advised the PNP and the military to be ready, not only for election day, but also for post-election situations that these allegations could incite," Abalos said over dzBB radio.

"What is the agenda of these people? Is it their plan to condition the minds of their supporters that if they lose, they were cheated? This is not good," he said.

"The Comelec is ready for the elections and we don’t have any problems here," Abalos said.

Ballot boxes and other election materials for the polling precincts are ready, he said, adding that the Comelec has "started shipping them out."

Goltiao said "the official winner(s) should be proclaimed, whoever the winner is. The PNP will make sure of that."

With 20 days to go before the elections, Goltiao said PNP Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. ordered all regional mobile groups and the provincial police CDM units to be ready for their pre-election and post-election duties.

Security at PNP headquarters at Camp Crame in Quezon City will be handled by the Special Action Force (SAF) if violence erupts and protesters take to the streets.

Goltiao has asked the public and all political groups to abide by the results of the elections.

"By that time, the voting will have been finished," he said. "Everybody must respect the mandate of the people, regardless of who won. The PNP is making sure that the elected president will be able to sit for office."

Goltiao also said several intelligence and undercover operatives have been deployed nationwide to uncover any plots to deter any plans by political groups to mount post-election violence and riots.

While the PNP has yet to receive any reports on such plans, he added, the police are ready to deal with such civil unrest.

Political analysts have previously warned that a presidential election decided by less than 100,000 votes among a 40 million-strong electorate would be a recipe for instability.

The President only has a three percentage-point lead over her chief rival for the helm of government, actor Fernando Poe Jr.

The military and the police have been kept busy trying to rein in violence ahead of the May 10 elections and at least 117 people have been killed and 124 wounded in election-related violence since December last year.

Over half of the election-related incidents involved extortion attempts on candidates by the communist New People’s Army, which has been demanding payment of permit-to-campaign fees, among other "revolutionary taxes" it has been seeking to take from candidates by force of arms and intimidation.

Abalos has rejected warnings by the election watchdog National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) that the indelible ink that would be applied to the index finger of each voter to ensure he or she does not vote twice or more would not be ready on time.

Quality testing for the winning bidders will be completed on Monday and the ink will "be ready for delivery," Abalos said.

He has also urged the opposition to inspect the "computerized voters’ list" prepared by the Comelec to ensure that it has not been padded with non-existent voters.

The military has intensified its monitoring nationwide to curb election-related violence as it recorded 30 more civilians and four police officers were killed in poll related incidents since January.

Topping the military’s list of poll-related attacks were the assassinations of local candidates identified as Sanggunian Bayan member Rodrigo Sandi in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur; Quezon Vice Mayor Eduardo Durante; Sanggunian Bayan candidate Venancio Centeno in Talisay, Batangas; Naujan, Mindoro Oriental Vice Mayor Juvy Magsino; Hindang, Leyte Mayor Roy Juma-os; Calbayog City Mayor Anito Olaje-Culminas; and Pagadian City mayoralty candidate Isidro del Soccoro.

Last month, Mindoro Occidental Rep. Josephine Ramirez-Sato survived a second assassination attempt by communist rebels in her home province. The latest attack on Sato resulted in the death of three people.

The other incidents monitored and recorded by the military included bombings, strafings, kidnappings, harassment, disarming and armed confrontations.

"The AFP has listed a total of 48 election-related violent incidents covering the period from Jan. 1 to April 18," Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Lt. Col. Daniel Lucero said.

The AFP has deployed additional troops in locales identified as areas of concern — particularly in places claimed by communist and Muslim extremist insurgents as being under their control. — With Jaime Laude, AFP