PHLIPPINE National Police Officer-in-Charge (PNP-OIC) Police Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao yesterday called on Filipinos to go out and vote in today’s national and local elections as he assured that police are 100 percent fully prepared to ensure honest, orderly and peaceful polls.

He also issued a stern warning to those who will try to engage in vote-buying or vote-selling specifically local politicians repeating the directives previously issued by his predecessor, Gen. Dionardo B. Carlos who retired at the age of 56 on Sunday, May 8.

The member of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) ‘Sambisig’ Class of 1991 said they will enforce the full force of the law against anybody who will try to violate the law specifically the prohibitions under the Omnibus Election Code.

“To those plotting to cheat, just a stern warning: we will use the full force of the law against you, and if you get caught – make no mistake, we have a place for you,” he said.

The new top cop also reminded officers and men of the 225,000-strong police force to remain apolitical and treat all candidates and their supporters equally.

Lt. Gen. Danao assured the PNP’s complete readiness to ensure honest and orderly national and local polls being deputized agents of the Commission on Elections. “It’s all systems for the national and local elections,” he said.

The erstwhile PNP Deputy Chief for Operations had supervised the PNP’s elections programs as well as the inspection of the equipment they will be needing in their security preparations.

The PNP has sent off transportation, security, communication, and other mission-essential equipment ahead of election day to improve capability of police units on the ground to ensure a fair, honest, safe, and secure elections.

Lt. Gen. Danao said they have doubled efforts to ensure safety and security in all polling centers across the country.

“We will ensure that enough policemen and women will be deployed in polling precincts to guarantee the safety of the voting public, and election officials, and to enforce minimum health protocols,” he said.

Danao also maintained their readiness to fully secure 107 towns and 15 cities tagged as ‘election areas of concern’ amid their stepped-up security measures to ensure the conduct of honest, peaceful and orderly May 9 national and local elections.

The official said they are fully partnering with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in their security preparations particularly in areas known for its history of violent poll-related violent incidents and intense partisan political activities in the past 2 elections.

Two municipalities in Lanao del Norte have been added to the list as the PNP leadership ordered all 17 police regional offices and the different PNP national operational support units led by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the Intelligence Group (IG) to intensify their efforts to neutralize identified private armed groups that could be used to sow violence during the election.

The PNP had said that only two out of 138 PAGs in the list of the PNP last year have been verified to be existing in Central Mindanao and security troops are closing in on them.

PNP Public Information Office chief, Brigadier Gen. Roderick Augustus B. Alba said the prevailing peace and order situation in a particular area is being monitored by the police as part of their election security measures.

He added that a province or a city or municipality could be also placed under Comelec control upon the recommendation of the PNP and the AFP in case there is a confirmed large presence of armed groups that could disrupt the polls.

Lt. Gen. Danao also warned anew politicians and other influential persons from employing unauthorized bodyguards or private armed groups as he ordered his men to focus their efforts in guarding at least 105 municipalities and 15 cities which have been identified as election areas of concern due to the presence of PAGs and other lawless elements and history of bloody poll-related incidents in the last two previous elections.

He said that as part of their efforts to maintain peace and order in areas with intense political rivalries, they have created Regional Special Operations Task Groups (RSOTGs) that will keep guard in these particular spots.

He said the RSOTGs in Samar and Masbate are doing good in maintaining peace in the two areas which are both known for having a number of violent poll-related incidents specifically during the past 2 previous elections.

Records showed there are 18,023 elective posts being contested with 845 candidates including 39 congressional bets out of the 253 seats in the House of Representatives running unopposed.

A total of nine gubernatorial candidates, 11 vice-gubernatorial bets, 203 mayoralty candidates, 254 vice-mayoralty bets and 284 candidates for city/municipal council seats are also running unopposed.

Last week, six municipalities in Maguindanao and one municipality and one city in Lanao del Sur were placed under Comelec control upon the recommendation of the PNP, the AFP and the Comelec Regional Office.

Already under Comelec control are the municipalities of Buluan, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Datu Piang, Mangudadatu, Pandag and Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao and and the towns of Tubaran and Malabang in Lanao del Sur.

Under Comelec Resolution 10757, an area may be placed under Comelec control if it has the following circumstances: history of/or current intense rivalry among contending parties. Such rivalries could motivate people to engage in violent acts; incidents of politically-motivated violence involving aspirants/candidates and other supporters; violence may be facilitated by the employment of Private Armed Groups (PAGs); and serious armed threats posed by the New People’s Army, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, Abu Sayyaf Group, Maute Group and other lawless elements.

As of Sunday, the PNP has monitored a total of 52 reported incidents of election-related violence in the country.

PNP spokesperson, Colonel Jean Fajardo said 28 of the 52 incidents have been confirmed not related to the polls, while 14 are still under investigation. The official said that four of the validated election-related incidents were from Ilocos Region, three from Zamboanga, and one each from Central Luzon, Northern Mindanao, and Cordillera.

Over 41,000 policemen are manning different checkpoints across the country while nearly 17,000 others will be performing election duties nationwide.

As of present, around 20 private armed groups have also been dismantled and delisted by different government agencies, Fajardo added.