POLICE offices and units around the country were told to prevent extortion activities by the New People’s Army (NPA) during the election period.
This was the instruction given by Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief, Police General Guillermo Eleazar, as President Rodrigo Duterte warned communist rebels and political warlords to stay out of the national and local elections next year.
He stressed that the NPA should be prevented from collecting “permit-to-campaign” fees from politicians.
“I have already instructed your PNP to make sure that the NPA won’t be able to conduct their extortion activities. We expect that they will take advantage of the election period to be able to extort from politicians during next year’s elections,” PGen Eleazar said.
“I would also like to remind the candidates not to give in to these illegal activities by communist rebels. Let us all join hands in making sure that next year’s elections will be clean and orderly,” he added.
He said the PNP would be vigilant against communist rebels and other local threat groups before, during and even after the elections. He likewise gave the assurance that police personnel are not letting their guards down against these lawless elements.
Meanwhile, PGen Eleazar also lauded the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines for its joint operation on Tuesday, October 5, that led to the confiscation of war materials in Sorsogon.
“I commend our police and military personnel in the Bicol region for the successful operation in Sorsogon that resulted in the confiscation of war materials from the CPP-NPA-NDF as part of our intensified campaign not only to end communist insurgency but also in ensuring the peaceful conduct of elections in May next year,” said PGen Eleazar.
PGen Eleazar also asked for the public’s cooperation and appealed to them to immediately report the presence of suspected NPA rebels or other lawless elements in their areas for prompt action by the PNP.
(PHOTO CREDIT: pna.gov.ph)