Pangilinan naaalarma sa tumataas poll-related violence

MANILA, Philippines - Hinamon ni Senador Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan ang Philippine National Police at ang Commission on Elections (Comelec) na hulihin ang nasa likod ng mga krimen na may kinalaman sa paparating na halalan.

“Clearly, more needs to be done to curb electoral violence in the country. We urge the PNP and the Comelec to do all they can to arrest those who, in trying to win at all costs, have murder on their minds,” pahayag ng senador.

Naaalarma na si Pangilinan sa tumataas na bilang ng krimen sa bansa pero aniya wala naman nahuhuli at nakakasuhan.

"We have yet to hear of an election-related violence case that was investigated and that has led to the conviction of the perpetrators and masterminds,” sabi ni Pangilinan.

Inalala ng senador ang sinunog na gusali ng paaralan sa Taysan, Batangas noong halalan 2007, kung saan dalawa ang namatay.

Malinaw na may kinalaman sa eleksyon ang krimen, ngunit sinabi ni Pangilinan na walang nahuli na mastermind.

Isa sa itinuturing na high-profile case ngayong halalan 2013 ang pagkamatay ng alkalde ng Isabela. Kamakailan lamang at dalawang kandidato sa Masbate ang itinumba rin.

"The Maguindanao massacre where 58 people, including 32 media workers, were killed because of local politics should serve as a grim reminder to our police and election commissioners how deadly election season can be in the country,” ani Pangilinan.

Bukod sa Comelec at PNP, nanawagan din si Pangilinan sa National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Aniya, kailangan doblehin ng NBI ang kanilang ginagawa upang matukoy ang nasa likod ng mga krimen na may kinalaman sa eleksyon.

“It is only when we bring these cases to justice will we begin to see genuine change in how political campaigns are being run in the country," sabi ni Pangilinan.