PNP initiates peace covenants among bets

MANILA, Philippines –  The Philippine National Police (PNP) is initiating peace covenants among candidates in the Oct.25 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

PNP chief Director General Raul Bacalzo said the holding of peace dialogues would complement the ongoing election ban on firearms ordered by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and enforced by the PNP.

PNP spokesperson Sr. Supt. Agrimero Cruz said the police have so far arrested 270 violators of the gun ban.

Among those arrested – mostly at checkpoints – five were policemen, three were soldiers and nine government officials. Cruz said authorities have also seized 11 hand grenades. There are 1,854 checkpoints across the country.

Exempted from the ban are police officers, soldiers and other law enforcement agents on official duty and in uniform with proper identification. 

The 135,000-strong police force has been deputized for election duties.

Comelec Resolution 9019 directs the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to enforce a nationwide gun ban from Sept. 25 to Nov 10, or 30 days before and 15 days after the synchronized barangay and SK elections.

The PNP and the AFP will set up Joint Security Coordinating Centers at the national, regional, provincial and municipal levels.

Meanwhile, a technical working group will formulate guidelines for dealing with electoral protests filed in the first automated polls.

Comprising the TWG, aside from the Comelec, are the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) and House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET).

“We met (last week) and we decided to create the TWG which will come up with uniform procedures on how we should handle these cases, especially since it was the first time that we automated an election,” Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal and TWG head said.

He said that they envision the TWG to continue functioning in preparation for the 2013 polls.

“There has to be continuity. We cannot stop after this and then start again for the 2013 election,” he said.

“Fine-tuning may have to be done every so often,” Larrazabal added.

The Comelec had been swamped with inquiries on how the three tribunals and election lawyers should deal with electoral protests.

The Supreme Court, acting as the PET, handles cases involving the president and the vice president. – Mike Frialde, Sheila Crisostomo