FOR PEACEFUL CAMPAIGN PERIOD

LINGAYEN – The Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) will lead a unity walk, interfaith prayer rally and peace covenant signing today, January 13, as part of the preparations for the midyear elections. 

P/Senior Inspector Ria Tacderan, information officer of PPPO, said the event is part of the initiatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) advocating for a peaceful, secure and fair elections this year. 

Assembly for the unity walk will start at 6:30 a.m. at the PPPO in this town. 

The participating candidates, stakeholders, law enforcement agencies, national government agencies and non-government organizations will march toward the PPPO grandstand here after a mass. 

Reshuffle of PNP Officials

Effective last week, the PPPO has reshuffled 38 out of the 48 officers-in-charge and chiefs of police (COP) assigned in the cities and municipalities in the province to prevent the local police chiefs from getting too familiar with their counterpart local officials.

“Huwag silang (public) mag-alala dahil kung gaano mas pinagbubuti ng mga dating nakaupong COPs ang kanilang serbisyo, makakaasa tayo na ito mas pagbubutihin pa ng mga bagong pumalit sa kanila,” Tacderan told the ‘Pantongtongan Tayo’ (Pag-usapan Natin) radio program of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Pangasinan aired over DZMQ Radyo Pilipinas Dagupan on Tuesday. 

Among those reassigned were the town police chiefs of Agno, Bani, Bolinao, Burgos, Dasol, Infanta, Mabini, Sual, Aguilar, Basista, Binmaley, Anda, Labrador, Lingayen, Mangatarem, Urbiztondo, Bayambang, Calasiao, Malasiqui, Mapandan, Sta. Barbara, Manaoag, San Fabian, San Jacinto, Alcala, Bautista, Binalonan, Laoac, Sison, Asingan, Balungao, Natividad, San Manuel, San Nicolas, San Quintin and Sta. Maria, and cities of San Carlos and Urdaneta.

She said that about 200 police personnel from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion have been assigned to augment the police personnel in Pangasinan and have already been deployed to identified  “areas of concern” in the province.

Implementation of Checkpoints and Gun Ban

Meanwhile, the PPPO will intensify its checkpoint operations starting from campaign  period to election day for the implementation of the election gun ban and prevention of election-related incidents.

On the gun ban, Tacderan said all individuals are prohibited from bearing, carrying, or transporting firearms, explosives or other deadly weapons.

“Even police officers are not allowed to carry guns unless they are in uniform and are on-duty,” she said while pointing out that members of the police and armed forces, as well as other law enforcement agencies, will be exempted from the nationwide gun ban, as long as they are in the actual performance of their election duty.

Meanwhile, Tacderan encouraged motorists to cooperate with law enforcers during the conduct of checkpoints set in different parts of the province.

“Konting partisipasyon at kooperasyon lamang nang sa gayon ay walang maaabala. Asahan ninyo na mas maraming checkpoints ngayon kaya kaonting bawas ng init ng ulo at magtulungan tayo dahil para rin naman sa ating lahat ito,” she said.

She added that motorists should not be hesitant when subjected to checkpoints as the police officers manning these checkpoints will rigorously observe the guidelines set by the Commission on Elections, which include being in full uniform and setting up checkpoints in well-lighted areas to allow motorists to read signage and see policemen on duty. (PIA Pangasinan/AMB)

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