STA. BARBARA–The Philippine National Police (PNP) foresees peaceful elections on May 10 next year but is staying on high alert for possible election-related violence and has already placed nine provinces in the watch list of possible hot spots.

PNP chief Police Director General Jesus Verzosa identified the hot spots as Maguindanao, Abra, Nueva Ecija, Masbate, Sulu, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Basilan and Samar.

Versoza, who was here for the inauguration ceremony of the newly-built Community Police Action Center (COMPAC) at the Pangasinan Provincial Nursery here on December 22, said the list of potential hot spots is based on their experiences in previous elections and are conducting intensified intelligence monitoring to assess the continuing atmosphere on the ground.

The PNP, Comelec and Armed Forces of the Philippines are now setting up joint security control centers in the nine provinces tagged as hot spots and in all other areas that may be pre-determined to be prone to election-related violence.

At the same time, Verzosa said he sees no reason to place Pangasinan in the list of hot spots in this election despite a couple of violent incidents in the previous election.

Earlier reports said San Carlos City may be placed under the list of “areas of immediate concern” as the mayor there and his police security detail were shot dead during the campaign period in 2007.

Verzosa said the police may deploy its mobile group in the area again in the coming election or boost the number of policemen in San Carlos City.

He also considers last month’s dreadful election-related violence in Maguindanao where 57 people were killed, most of them journalists, as an isolated case.

GUN BAN

At the same time, Verzosa hailed a Commission on Elections resolution en banc putting a nationwide gun ban in place and limiting the number of security men of candidates under threat to four, two of whom should be organic members of the PNP.

He said candidates who are under threat and need additional security may apply for security detail and their applications will be processed by both the PNP and Comelec.—LM

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