Police, DILG flag BSKE election violence
THE PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) on Thursday reported 20 incidents of election-related violence, four days ahead of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls on May 14.
Of the 20 incidents, recorded from April 14 to May 9, only two are validated to be election-related while the rest are still being verified, according to PNP Spokesperson PCSupt. John C. Bulalacao.
The PNP also counted 19 shooting incidents despite the gun ban in effect during the election period, and one kidnapping incident.
The death toll has reached 24 individuals, 13 of whom are elected government officials, three candidates, one former official, one appointed government personnel, and six civilians. Meanwhile, six were wounded and three involved were unharmed.
Four of these cases are already under prosecution, three have been filed in court, and 13 are under investigation.
Three of the suspects in the incidents have be arrested, 21 have been identified, while 52 have yet to be identified.
Mr. Bulalacao said this election is an “improvement” from the 2013 elections, wherein 57 violent incidents with 33 deaths from Sept. 28 to Nov. 12, 2013, were recorded.
As of May 6, there were 7,915 election hot spots nationwide. Of this, 2,345 areas are under the yellow category, 4,971 under orange, and 619 under red.
Areas listed under yellow category are places with recorded violent incident in the past election, recorded violent incident in this year’s election, intense political rivalry, barangay previously declared under Commission on Elections (Comelec) control, and existence of private armed groups.
The orange category, on the other hand, are areas with the
existence of threat groups such as New People’s Army (NPA), Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter (BIFF), coupled with the parameters in the yellow category.
Red category is a combination of all the factors present in yellow and orange.
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) holds the most number of election hot spots at 1,415, followed by Bicol with 1,304, and SOCCSKSARGEN with 661.
Mr. Bulalacao said that this number may still increase “if the COMELEC will be coming out with another list” but added that it “should pass through the validation process.”
Meanwhile, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Martin D. Diño warned officials who are reportedly harassing candidates and voters, or engaging in vote buying.
“We receive a lot of reports and complaints and we have a direct coordination with Comelec… until now, there are harassment coming from local mayors, congressmen, and governors,” Mr. Diño said in Filipino.
He added that those caught and proven guilty could face perpetual disqualification from public office.
In a separate media briefing, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron N. Aquino recommended to the PNP to knock-and-plead, locally dubbed as the tokhang campaign, on barangay officials included in the narco-list.
PDEA and DILG recently released a “validated” list of 207 barangay officials involved in illegal drug operations, following a directive from President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
The PDEA is set to file administrative and criminal charges today against one of the barangay officials in the narco-list before the Office of the Ombudsman. — Minde Nyl R. Dela Cruz
Rep Biazon files resolution to probe China missile system deployment
REPRESENTATIVE ROZZANO Rufino B. Biazon filed on Wednesday a resolution urging the House national defense and security committee, where he is vice-chair, to conduct an inquiry on China’s deployment of missile systems in the Spratly Islands. “This deployment of military assets no doubt have national security implications on the Philippines, a matter that should be taken seriously as a threat,” Mr. Biazon said in a statement issued Thursday. The resolution was filed following recent reports that China deployed weapons, which theoretically enables it to “interdict shipping in an arc stretching from the coast off central Vietnam, to eastern Malaysia’s Sabah state and the Philippines’ Palawan island. The deployment “not only directly affects our sovereignty and national security, but our country’s trade and economy as well,” Mr. Biazon said. — Charmaine A. Tadalan
HRW says ex-police chief will answer for ‘bloody campaign’ on drugs
HUMAN RIGHTS Watch (HRW), in an online article published on Thursday, said Ronald M. Dela Rosa, the retired police chief who has now been appointed as head of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), may sooner or later “be held to account for his ongoing role in the bloody campaign” of President Rodrigo R. Duterte against illegal drugs. HRW Deputy Director for Asia Division Phelim Kine wrote that Mr. Dela Rosa “continues to zealously endorse” human rights threats with his rhetoric of executing detained drug lords inside the New Bilibid Prison. “Dela Rosa’s comments suggest he will apply the same disregard for rule of law and accountability that defined his tenure as police director general in his new role… but he should be on notice that the International Criminal Court has begun a preliminary examination into the drug war killings,” Mr. Kine wrote. Mr. Dela Rosa did not respond when sought for comment. — Dane Angelo M. Enerio
