MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) will provide security services to qualified candidates for next year’s midterm elections.
“The CPNP (Director General Oscar Albayalde) directed two months ago all field unit commanders to coordinate with incumbent elected officials to assess their security needs so that the PNP would be able to provide appropriate protective security coverage,” said Chief Supt. Benigno Durana, PNP spokesperson.
Durana added that the PNP will also provide security services for non-incumbent candidates, who may qualify for protective security detail.
Albayalde’s order coincides with the start of the filing period of Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for those running in the 2019 midterm polls.
The PNP also continues to monitor 77 active private armed groups (PAGs) with 2,060 members that have 1,574 firearms. It is also keeping an eye on 226 inactive armed groups with 2,028 members and has more than 1,000 firearms.
Albayalde has earlier directed all territorial units to go “hammer and tongs” against gun-for-hire syndicates and PAGs, as the number of attacks against local officials and candidates tend to increase ahead of the elections. (/PNA)
