PNP News Releases 2005

PNP ASSURES NO DISRUPTION OF CANVASSING

PNP Chief, Director General Hermogenes E Ebdane Jr. today assured that the national canvassing of election returns will not be disrupted by any ass activity or protest action.

Ebdane made this assurance today even as he ordered the National Capital Region Police Office to strictly implement security measures to ensure security around the Batasan Complex and at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).

Ebdane presided over a Command Conference in Camp Crame today among members of the PNP Command Group, Directorial Staff, Regional Directors, and heads of National Support Units. The PNP Chief earlier created Super Task Force Kapayapaan spearheaded by the NCRPO to address possible post-election mass actions.

NCRPO Chief, Director Ricardo De Leon reported that Civil Disturbance Management (CDM) Units have been deployed around the Batasan Complex and PICC to guard these areas against protesters and mass activists.

During the same conference, the Police Regional Office were directed to continue monitoring the activities of all domestic threat groups including those earlier reported as behind a purported plan to disrupt the canvassing proceedings in Congress.

PNP Spokesman, Chief Superintendent Joel R Goltiao said the PNP has received some “raw information” to this effect, but, has not monitored any overt activity related to the so-called plot. “As far as the PNP is concerned, these information about a purported mass protest action, is at best a concocted post-election scenario floated around possibly for political purposes,” Goltiao said.

Nonetheless, the PNP Spokesman said, the PNP is taking all these information seriously “as a reference to calculate our response.” In other developments, the PNP Chief has tasked the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) to monitor the developments in the investigation of all election-related violent incidents (ERVI) in connection with the May 10 synchronized elections.

“Such incidents have been the perennial bane of our democratic exercise of free elections. Unless justice is served, the cycle of violence will be repeated each time we hold elections,” Ebdane said.

As of May 24, the PNP has recorded a total of 192 ERVIs that resulted in the 121 deaths and 208 injuries. Among those killed were 30 politicians and candidates since the start of the election period. Even with more casualties recorded, the 2004 elections had fewer violent incidents as compared to the elections in 2001 and 1998.