2,000 policemen deployed to keep peace during Pasay recall polls

The Philippine National Police (PNP) will deploy 2,000 policemen in Pasay City for its April 15 recall elections, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said yesterday.

Newly-promoted Assistant Chief State Prosecutor Severino Gaña, head of the DOJ Task Force that will assist the Commission on Elections in election-related offenses, said the cops will ensure the safety of the voting public.

"This is to thresh out all possible problems concerning the recall elections, especially the peace and order situation in Pasay City," he told reporters, adding this has been the agreement reached by the PNP, Comelec and the DOJ last Monday.

Gaña also disclosed that Comelec Chairman Harriet Demetriou has already asked Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. to open one or two regional trial courts (RTCs) in Pasay City, as well as in Mercedes town in Camarines Norte, General Tinio in Nueva Ecija and Jimaludad, Negros Occidental which will also hold recall polls on April 15.

"The undersigned (Demetriou) respectfully requests that one RTC or two in the aforesaid places be directed to stay open in the evening of Friday, April 14, until Sunday morning, April 16, for purposes of receiving complaints and or violation of election laws that may be filed by our law department and deputized prosecutors from the DOJ between these dates," the Comelec chief stated in a letter to Davide.

Gana said that preparations for the recall polls will have to push through even while the Supreme Court hears the petition of incumbent Mayor Jovito Claudio for the issuance of a temporary restraining order. He added, however, that they await the Supreme Court ruling.

The high tribunal hears today Claudio's petition that the Pasay recall polls would be unconstitutional as Congress did not appropriate any funds for the purpose, except P1 million.

Claudio, 72, said the bulk of the P74 million which Demetriou said will be used, was taken from the contingent fund of the Office of the President, which is prohibited under the law.

"With all due respect, the use of the P74 million by the Comelec is unconstitutional because there is no appropriation made by law," his lawyer Pete Quirino Quadra told the Supreme Court.