With the campaign period for national candidates in the 2025 midterm elections now underway, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla has vowed to take action against police officers engaging in partisan politics.
“I will not hesitate to have them charged and ensure that due process is observed,” Remulla stated.
Speaking at a press conference in Baguio City during his visit to the Police Regional Office-Cordillera Administrative Region in La Trinidad, Benguet, Remulla reaffirmed his firm stance against misconduct in the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“You have seen my record. I have very low tolerance for malfeasance, especially within the PNP,” he said.
He highlighted the department’s commitment to accountability, citing the cases filed against rogue PNP officers involved in the controversial 990-kilogram drug haul in Manila in 2022.
“I reviewed those cases immediately, and now they are behind bars. So I will not hesitate,” he added.
Meanwhile, Remulla expressed full support for the Commission on Elections’ “Kontra Bigay” campaign against vote-buying, emphasizing the need for a complementary “Kontra Tanggap” initiative to address both giving and receiving bribes.
“There should be two campaigns—Kontra Bigay and Kontra Tanggap. These are two sides of the same issue, and they must go hand in hand,” he said.
He also reiterated his personal opposition to vote-buying, recalling his time as a local official in Cavite.
“I don’t believe in vote-buying. It was never necessary in our province, but it remains a cultural phenomenon that must be addressed on a national scale,” Remulla concluded.