Ensure clean, honest polls, cops told

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Jesus Verzosa ordered yesterday the 130,000 policemen nationwide to help ensure clean, honest and peaceful elections on May 10.

Verzosa reminded all policemen to stay nonpartisan and not allow politicians to use them to advance their political interest.

“We are now at a crucial period in our nation’s history with the coming of the national elections in May. Once more, the PNP plays a vital role not only in effectively securing the ballot, but in ensuring clean, honest and peaceful elections,” Verzosa told his regional directors and heads of national support units during the traditional New Year’s call on the PNP chief at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

“Again, as I have repeatedly declared in recent weeks, the national police force as the servant and protector of the people must remain apolitical and must not allow itself to be used by politicians or political parties towards their political ends,” Verzosa added.

He had ordered the dismantling of police detachments in city and municipal halls to prevent police officers from fraternizing with local officials.

Verzosa also directed concerned officials to limit the number of policemen assigned as security personnel of politicians.

The PNP is closely coordinating with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) regarding guidelines that would be strictly implemented during the election period that starts on Jan. 14.

Under the guidelines, only persons in authority who are in proper uniform and in actual performance of official duty are allowed to carry firearms during the election period.

Officials of the PNP and AFP are set to meet today with Comelec officials to finalize the agreement on the security measures to be enforced during the five-month long election period.

Verzosa said the difficulties of the past years must serve as challenges to policemen “to help them see the promise of a better, more productive and more peaceful year.”

“And we can only realize this promise if we remain united against all odds and adversities, and perform our duties and responsibilities the best way we can and with the interest of the public foremost in our hearts,” he added.

Verzosa added, “Eventful as it was, the year 2009 will live on in our memories as perhaps among the most challenging year in our nation’s history.

“It may have been a year of tragedies and disasters, but it was also a year of triumphs and achievements. Above all, it was a year when Filipinos once more, demonstrated their solidarity and resilience as a nation in the face of great challenges and adversities,” he said.

The PNP chief said that in 2009 the PNP had improved its transformation efforts with a higher public approval rating based on the survey conducted by the Asia-Pacific Centre for Research (ACRE).

“We owe this to our men and women who braved all odds in the performance of their duties - walking their beats at all hours of the day, risking life and limb to keep our streets safe with some losing their lives in the process, braving the fury of typhoons ‘Ondoy’ and ‘Pepeng’ to save people from rooftops and raging floodwaters,” Verzosa added. “To all of you go the PNP leadership’s highest esteem, deep gratitude, and warm congratulations for doing your job and doing it well.”

Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Constante Azares Jr., the newly installed police director in the Ilocos region, warned all policemen in Region 1 to stay away from politicians and political activities to avoid trouble in their jobs.

Azares, former head of the National Operations Center in Camp Crame, replaced Chief Superintendent Ramon Gatan who retired last Jan. 2.

Azares, who traces his roots to Vigan, Ilocos Sur, has six months left in the police service and said he would focus on the upcoming elections.

“It is therefore a challenge for me to ensure that the entire police force in the Ilocos region should not get entangled with any electoral predicaments by staying loyal to the police organization and not to any political party or politician,” he said during his assumption of office in Camp Florendo in San Fernando City in La Union. With Jun Elias