GMA orders crackdown on private armies

President Arroyo yesterday ordered the national police to disarm "private armies" controlled by politicians in a bid to curb violence ahead of congressional elections in May.

One of Mrs. Arroyo’s political allies, Abra Rep. Luis Bersamin Jr. was assassinated outside a Roman Catholic church in Quezon City last month. Police said the killing was linked to political rivalries in the northern province.

That same month, Pasig Rep. Robert Jaworski was the target of a car bomb attack. He escaped unharmed.

"I am instructing the national police to map out in detail all potential election hotspots, disarm any private armies and help the election commission enforce clean, honest and peaceful polls," Arroyo said in a statement.

The election commission said Wednesday it had sought police assistance to keep voters safe during the upcoming polls.

Arroyo also called on her opponents to "cut the partisan strife and noise" and join hands in uplifting the lives of the millions of poor Filipinos.

The country goes to the polls in May to elect the entire 250-member House of Representatives, half of the 24-seat Senate and thousands of local officials, including governors and mayors.

Political killings are common here, and international rights groups and the influential Roman Catholic church have expressed concerns over the level of violence.

In the latest incident, two members of the small leftist political party Bayan Muna were murdered in the central Philippine province of Sorsogon on Tuesday, according to human rights watchdog Karapatan.

National police chief Director General Oscar Calderon said there were over 90 known "private armies" employed by politicians across the Philippines in the 2004 national polls.

"We have neutralized many of these private armed groups," he said.

He also warned policemen of possible sanctions if they moonlight as private bodyguards for politicians. — AFP