Cops eye more potential poll hotspots for 2010

The Philippine National Police (PNP), in coordination with the intelligence community, is eyeing more provinces to be included in its list of hotspots in the upcoming 2010 elections. PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Leonardo Espina said they are linking up with other intelligence agencies to analyze election-related violent incidents that have been recorded in some provinces. “Tuluy-tuloy ang pag-aaral sa sitwasyon ng ating intelligence division, katulong ang intelligence community. Pero makikita natin ang kabuuan pagkatapos ng filing ng certificate of candidacy. Marami kasing factors na dapat tingnan. May siyam na probinsya na binabantayan natin noon dahil ang mga ito ay may history ng karahasan in the past two elections. Titignan natin kung ang factors na present in the past two elections would be present this time around," Espina said in an interview on dwIZ radio. (Our intelligence division continues to study the situation along with the intelligence community. But we may also have to wait until candidates file their certificates of candidacy. For now, we are looking at provinces that have a history of election-related violent incidents in the last two elections.) Initially identified as potential hotspots are the provinces of Abra, Nueva Ecija, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Sulu, Maguindanao, Basilan, Masbate and Samar. Also, Espina said the PNP is optimistic the national firearms control program would succeed in seizing loose firearms nationwide to lessen chances of election-related violence. He noted that 97 percent of violent incidents and crimes in the country involved loose firearms. He also announced the PNP has set an amnesty period for loose firearms from August 1 to October 31. It will hold administrative processing for August and September, and licensing from October 1 to 31. "After this, all unrenewed licenses are all going to be considered loose firearms. Then, we begin police operations to seize the guns," he said. In the 2007 polls, statistics from the PNP showed 100 people were reported killed in election-related violence. In the 2004 presidential elections, a total of 189 people were reported killed while 279 others were wounded. - GMANews.TV