GMA: Polls will be peaceful

Despite President Arroyo’s assurances that Monday’s elections will be orderly and peaceful, 80 towns nationwide were declared yesterday as "election hotspots."

Security forces moved yesterday to put a lid on violence as political parties stepped up their campaigns in the nation’s most hotly contested elections in decades.

Mrs. Arroyo told reporters in Porac town in Pampanga yesterday the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are capable of ensuring a peaceful election.

"That’s already a routine (deployment of troops), whenever there is an area of concern, the AFP gets involved in peacekeeping and I’m confident that the Armed Forces and the PNP will remain neutral and apolitical in this electoral exercise," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo was in Porac to inaugurate the Macantian Bridge.

Last Thursday, Mrs. Arroyo witnessed the signing of a covenant for honest, orderly, and peaceful elections (HOPE) among pro-administration and opposition political parties, and party-list groups.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr. ordered yesterday the deployment of more policemen in "hot spots" identified by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Lina said his decision was based on a number of election-related violence that included the killing of Batangas gubernatorial candidate Cesar Platon and the bombing of the Liberal Party rally in San Juan the other night.

Lina said he has instructed PNP chief Director General Leandro Mendoza to assign additional policemen in areas where political parties are expected hold their miting de avance today. –Paolo Romero, Pia Lee-Brago, Perseus Echeminada