‘No election hotspot in MM’

There is no election hotspot in Metro Manila for the coming midterm polls, a police official said yesterday.

However, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Guillermo Eleazar admitted that political rivalries are expected to be intense in some areas.

Eleazar ordered the five police district directors in the metropolis to monitor political developments in areas where election-related violence oc- cured in the past.

“We should not be caught off guard. We should act immediately before violent incidents among supporters of the candidates happen,” he said.

Eleazar did not mention the areas being monitored by the NCRPO. He admitted that the election in these areas would be hotly contested. A source, however, told The STar that the areas

being closely monitored are the cities of San Juan, Navotas and Malabon.

The campaign period for senatorial, congressional and party-list bets starts on Feb. 12 and March 29 for the local candidates. The gun ban started yesterday. The NCRPO has set up checkpoints to seize loose firearms, explosives and other banned devices.

In Manila, police set up citywide checkpoints before midnight on Saturday and vowed to increase visibility as the election period started yesterday.

Manila Police District (MPD) director Senior Superintendent Vicente Danao Jr. ordered all commanders of the 11 police stations in the city to establish checkpoints in areas of their jurisdiction and intensify the campaign against crimes.

Meanwhile, police rounded up 89 persons who were caught violating various ordinances in Manila over the weekend.

Seven drug suspects were apprehended in the operations.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde, Commission on Elections Chairman Sherrif Abas and Eleazar inspected the checkpoint put up by the MPD Station 4 under Superintendent Robert Domingo at the corner of Antipolo street and España Boulevard in Sampaloc before dawn yesterday.