PNP to remain at polling precincts until all election materials recovered
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police is wrapping up the final stages of security operations at the polling precincts and voting centers as the canvassing and transmission process went underway after the polls closed at 7:00 p.m. Monday night, it said at a press briefing Tuesday morning.
In a statement, Police Brig. Gen. Vicente Danao, newly-minted PNP OIC said he instructed Police Regional Directors to ensure all security personnel remain in their posts until after all election equipment, documents and personnel have been withdrawn from polling centers.
"At this time when national canvassing is now underway, we can safely say with utmost certainty that the 2022 National and Local Elections is now a shining chapter in our nation’s rich and colorful history, and a moving-up point to a new beginning. This outcome should encourage everyone to bring this political exercise to a close," he said.
Asked for his response to a rally outside the Comelec office in Intramuros protesting widespread technical glitches at precincts across the country, Danao urged demonstrators to "please let us fully exercise prudence and sobriety when we're doing rallies."
He added that the PNP is moving on to investigating violations of law committed during the election period.
During election day, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said it recorded 16 cases of election-related violence around the country, mostly in Mindanao.
Danao said that the number had shot up to 52 incidents by the end of the day, including shooting, gun ban violations, vote-buying, and mauling.
Out of this number, though, only four qualified in the PNP's definition of election-related incidents.
"Based on the Viber group that we have, so far based on the data we don't have any regions where we still see problems as far as election-related incidents are concerned," Danao also said.
Col. Ramon Zagala, AFP spokesperson said that the "generally peaceful" election day can be attributed to the "good cooperation" between security forces deployed to voting precincts. Neither the PNP and AFP however mentioned the widespread delays leaving voters stranded at precincts throughout the election day.
According to the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management, sixteen validated election-related incidents and nineteen suspected related incidents were recorded from January 9 to May 9, 2022.
Danao has ordered the unit commanders concerned for the immediate resolution of these incidents and for the filing of the appropriate charges against the identified suspects.
The PNP claimed that the recent data show relatively lower crime incidents compared to the 2010 and 2016 Philippine national and local elections where the PNP tallied 166 and 133 validated election-related incidents, respectively.
“Let me point out that the more important aspects of law enforcement and public safety have been given utmost priority throughout the election period," Danao said.
Danao said that the PNP Security Task Force for the 2022 National and Local Election, through the constituted Task Groups are taking action on several cases arising from election-related violent incidents and prohibited acts.
"The more important aspects of law enforcement and public safety have been given utmost priority throughout the election period," he also said.
- Latest
- Trending
