Full alert on for polls

MANILA, Philippines - With unabated political violence, security forces went on full alert starting yesterday in preparation for the elections on Monday.

All government hospitals and medical facilities nationwide will also be on “Code White” starting tomorrow, with full stocks of emergency medicine especially for trauma available for victims of election violence.

The Department of Health (DOH) is ready to provide material and logistical support to regional health offices and hospitals in case of emergencies, Health Secretary Enrique Ona said.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Brig. Gen. Domingo Tutaan said a red alert, the highest, is now in place, requiring all personnel, including those on leave, to report to their respective units for deployment on poll-related duties and emergencies.

The alert, which started at 4 a.m. yesterday, will last until 4 a.m. on Wednesday.

Tutaan warned that AFP personnel caught engaging in partisan politics would be dealt with severely.

“We will throw the book at them,” Tutaan said. “This is both a fair warning (to AFP members) and an assurance to the Filipino people, that the AFP will remain neutral in this election. We will not be siding with any political parties.”

Director General Alan Purisima, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, assured the public that the midterm elections on Monday would be peaceful and orderly.

The PNP, however, is closely monitoring six areas in Metro Manila where rivalries among local candidates are intense.

Purisima gave his assurance after visiting regional police offices to check the security preparations for the elections.

He said there were no serious election-related crimes reported so far.

More than 100,000 policemen including support units will be deployed to polling precincts nationwide on Monday.

Tutaan said the AFP brass would monitor the situation from their general headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo to prevent or respond quickly to election violence.

The AFP is coordinating its actions with the PNP and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) “to make the elections safe and free,” Tutaan said.

Ona ordered all the regional health offices to continuously monitor events in their respective areas.

Close watch

PNP Deputy Director Ager Ontog, chief of the National Task Force Safe 2013, said six areas in Metro Manila were being closely monitored even as he emphasized that heated rivalries would not necessarily erupt into violence.

The PNP did not identify the six, which are not classified as “areas of concern,” but officials did not deny that the cities of Taguig, Caloocan and Manila are being monitored closely.

Ontog said there are no communist gunmen or private armed groups that could disrupt the elections in Metro Manila.

Earlier, Taguig mayoralty bet Rica Tinga said she would ask the Comelec to classify the city as an “area of concern” after 12 of her supporters were injured in a brawl during a campaign sortie.

Tinga is running against Mayor Lani Cayetano, wife of Sen. Alan Cayetano who is running under the administration’s Team PNoy coalition.

In the city of Manila, former President Joseph Estrada is running for mayor against incumbent Alfredo Lim. Both candidates have resorted to name-calling and violence has erupted between the two camps.

The politics in Caloocan feature the rivalry between mayoralty bets RJ Echiverri, son of incumbent mayor Enrico Echiverri and Rep. Oscar Malapitan.

Ontog said they may send additional personnel to the areas under tight watch. The number of forces to be deployed would depend on the seriousness of the security concern, he said.

“The monitoring in these areas will be more frequent. We may require the submission of reports every two hours,” Ontog said.

The provinces that are considered “areas of concern” are Abra, Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Cagayan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Batangas, Cavite, Masbate, Samar, Misamis Occidental, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, and Basilan.

Violence went down

Despite the bloody attacks staged recently by armed groups, the PNP said that the number of election-related violent incidents has gone down. 

Data released by the Task Force Safe 2013 showed 66 poll-related incidents from Jan. 13, at the start of the nationwide gun ban to May 9.

The number is lower than the 93 incidents that transpired in 2010 and 101 recorded in 2007.

Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II said the lower violent incidents was due to the government’s security measures.

“There are many factors. One is the early preparations of the government. The DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) and the PNP have been ready since November,” Roxas said.

The PNP issued the figures a day after three members of the security forces performing poll duties were killed in separate attacks by communist rebels.

Two soldiers were killed on Thursday after rebels ambushed a Comelec convoy in Tabuk City, Kalinga.

On the same day, a militiaman was killed after insurgents attacked troops performing poll duties in barangay Agao-ao in Ragay, Camarines Sur.

Of the 66 violent incidents, 57 were shooting incidents while the rest involved explosion, ambush, harassment, grenade throwing and strafing.

None of these incidents have been filed before the court as of yesterday. Some 48 of them are still under investigation while 18 have been referred to the prosecutor’s office.

The 66 incidents left 42 persons killed and 38 others wounded. A total of 28 persons who were targeted by the perpetrators were unharmed.

Among the 42 fatalities, 31 were elected government officials, nine were supporters of candidates, one was a candidate and one a policeman.

Meanwhile, a total of 3,079 persons have been arrested for violation of gun ban and other election laws. Of this, 2,843 were civilians, 130 were security guards, 42 were government employees, 40 were policemen and 24 soldiers.

The PNP said there have been 2,866 incidents involving violation of election laws. A total of 1,890 cases have been filed in connection with these violations.

Despite the government’s all-out security operations, about 26,700 loose firearms are still in the hands of threat groups and criminals.

PNP said there are still 41 active private armed groups with about 681 members and 2,351 firearms. About 116 groups have been classified as “potential” private armies or those who are no longer active but can still sow violence.

As of May 3, there are still 230 criminal gangs nationwide.

Stay neutral

The AFP reminded all its members to remain neutral in the elections.

Tutaan warned that AFP members found engaging in partisan political activities would face court-martial proceedings. 

Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chairman Francisco Duque III also reminded government workers to avoid engaging in partisan political activities.

“While we encourage Filipinos to exercise their right to vote, we would like to remind government employees to remain committed to public service. The law requires government employees to practice political neutrality,” Duque said.

He also urged public school teachers to protect the sanctity of the vote on election day, noting that they play a major role as members of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI).

“Every election, our public school teachers put their lives on the line to ensure that elections run smoothly,” Duque said.

“We recognize their dedication to public service especially on election day when they are exposed to many risks and threats,” he added. –With Alexis Romero, Michael Punongbayan, Mayen Jaymalin, Ric Sapnu