PNP needs P644 M for poll activities

About P644 million is needed for police operations during the May 14 elections.

Director Wilfredo Garcia, Philippine National Police Directorate for Operations chief, said the Department of Budget and Management is set to forward their request for P644.37 million to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for approval.

"(The amount) is just a wish list that the regional commands submitted to the national headquarters," he said.

Speaking at a briefing at Camp Crame, Garcia said the P644.37 million will be used basically to rent helicopters and ships to transport ballot boxes, gas, and other election-related activities.

"In areas where the AFP have no assets, the PNP has allocated budget for the rent of vehicles like choppers and ships to transport ballot boxes, gas, deployment of police, and supplies," he said.

Garcia said national headquarters had totaled the amounts requested by the regional commands.

"We required them (regional directors) to submit a list of their problems and issues, (so we could come up with) the solutions to these problems," he said.

"We want to know the areas of concern and the issues and we are finding the requirements."

Garcia said the P644.37 million could also be used for police operations against partisan armed groups blamed for election-related violence.

Garcia said the PNP has started drawing up plans to ensure honest, orderly and peaceful elections in various regions identified as "areas of immediate concern" and "ordinary areas of concern."

"We have identified Cagayan Valley, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Western Visayas, CAR, ARMM and the entire Mindanao, for having the most number of areas of immediate concern," he said.

Areas of immediate concern are located in places where the New People’s Army and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front are "very active" and "very strong," he added.

Meanwhile, six more election-related violent incidents have been recorded in the past five days by the police.

Garcia said the National Election Monitoring Action Center (NEMAC) has recorded a total of 35 election-related violent incidents as of 8 a.m. yesterday.

"Considering the fact that we have at least 42,000 barangays nationwide, the number of violent incidents is not yet alarming," he said.