(Eagle News) — Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Wednesday, Jan. 16, directed the Philippine National Police to intensify its measures in order to protect candidates running in the 2019 elections.
“The PNP should take offensive and preventive measures. We should be several steps ahead of those who resort to violence to win an election,” Año said.
According to Año, in particular, the PNP should intensify “police interventions, operations, and police visibility.”
He said the police should coordinate with candidates about their places of engagements, and provide security if threats against them are validated.
“Bago pa man magsimula ang kampanya, ipakita na natin na laging nakaalerto ang kapulisan para magdalawang-isip ang mga gustong manggulo sa eleksyon,” he said.
As for the candidates, Año said they should also exercise precautionary measures.
“The police cannot secure every single candidate or citizen every single moment of the day. Tungkulin din ng mga kandidato na mag-ingat at protektahan ang sarili nila at ang kanilang pamilya,” he said.
Año issued the statement amid a spate of killings police said could be politically motivated.
These include the killing of Rep. Rodel Batocabe, who was supposed to be running for mayor of Daraga, Albay.
Daraga Mayor Carlwyn Baldo, who was seeking reelection, was tagged by the police as the mastermind in Batocabe’s killing.
