Armed groups continue to 'sprout' in poll hotspots, PNP chief says

With less than a month before the May 10 polls, private and partisan armed groups (PAGs) continue to proliferate in various areas including those considered as election hotspots, Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa on Monday said. A number of PAGs continue to "sprout" despite the government's efforts to dismantle them, said Verzosa during the send off ceremony for President Arroyo who left for the United States. “It has been reduced…by around 24, but we see some, nag i-sprout ‘yung iba (PAGs have sprouted elsewhere)," he said. "So, again there will be a continuing validation kung saan nagiging active or nagdadagdag ang members on the validation of our intelligence, doon natin tsina-channel ang ating resources," he added. (There will be a continuing validation regarding where membership in partisan armed groups are rising.) Verzosa identified the areas where the PAGs had been discovered as: Abra, Masbate, Surigao, Lanao and the provinces in the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The government's effort to dismantle PAGs was intensified after the November 23 Maguindanao massacre, where armed groups allegedly linked to the Ampatuan family murdered 57 people, including 32 journalists and family members of their political opponent, the Mangudadatu clan. Meanwhile, the PNP will set up assistance centers in various polling precincts that would entertain complaints and provide direction for voters for the May 10 polls. Verzosa said the centers, which would be installed a week before the elections, would be created through concerted efforts of the police, local government units, and non-governmental organizations. Regional joint security control centers, headed by regional poll directors, have been initially put up to help police determine the type of assistance they could provide the public. - with Aie Balagtas See, RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV