PNP says over 500 areas of concern considered 'election hotspots' in 2022

MANILA, Philippines — Over 500 areas of concern have been tagged as potential hotspots for crime ahead of the 2022 national elections with at least 39 towns and seven cities under top concern, the Philippine National Police said Monday.

At a press briefing Monday, Police Brig. Gen. Michael John Dubria, acting PNP Director for Intelligence said that the 39 towns and seven cities currently tallied under the critically-monitored "red category" make up a small percentage of cities and municipalities across the country. 

“Our total election hotspots per our data is about 488 towns and 58 cities...the figure that we have to be concerned is the category red, there are about four categories for consideration as election hotspots, the green, the yellow, the orange, and the red,” Dubria said.

“Under the red category, we have only three percent of out of the total 1,438 numbers of town in the country, five percent for the cities for the total 146 cities in the country."

Dubria was careful to mention that the current numbers are only based on PNP records and would have to be validated with other law enforcement institutions including the military and the coast guard.

He added that most of the red-category areas are within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao.

“Actually the regions are varied, we have in the Regions 2, 3, 5, 6, and the more numbers are registered under the BARMM,” Dubria said.

At the same briefing, Police Gen. Dionardo Carlos said a nationwide mock election would "help the police force to observe the actual flow of process" for the 2022 polls.

“We will be waiting for the official advisory from Comelec regarding the planned mock elections. But definitely, the PNP is willing to extend assistance for this activity,” he said in a statement.

Carlos said that this pre-election activity will help the PNP in determining a strategic plan for the deployment and evaluation of the aspects that need improvement.

Under the Omnibus Election Code, PNP personnel are not allowed to enter voting precincts but are assigned to maintain peace and order around the vicinity.

The PNP will also be tasked to secure the transportation of ballots and other election paraphernalia, Carlos said.