PNP notes sharp dip in poll-related incidents this year

MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said it noted a sharp decline in the number of election-related incidents, recording only 20 validated ones from January 9 up to May 15.

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the numbers are much lower as compared to the national and local election years of 2010 with 166 validated election-related incidents and 133 in 2016.

“Kung titingnan natin at hihimayin natin ‘yung statistics natin especially dun sa validated, wala dun halos ‘yung ating pinangangambahan na mangyayaring kaguluhan dyan sa Mindanao and this can be attributed also dun sa mahaba at naging magandang paghahanda ng security forces natin lalong lalo na ‘yung pag-a-address natin dun sa insurgency (When we look at the statistics, especially the validated ones, there were almost none in Mindanao and this can be attributed to the long preparations of our security forces in addressing insurgency),” Fajardo said during a briefing of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

Election-related incidents recorded in 2010 and 2016 election seasons were mostly harassment, permit-to-campaign scheme and illegal activities of communist terrorist groups, she added.

“Since na-address na po ‘yan sa pamamagitan ng mga programa under the NTF-ELCAC ay malaki po talaga ang ibinaba (Since these have been addressed through the programs of the NTF-ELCAC, [election-related incidents] have been drastically reduced,” Fajardo said. /