Let the Philippine National Police (PNP) or Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) assign security personnel – preferably from the same unit – to opposing political personalities, especially in areas designated as election hotspots.
This was the doable policy suggested by former PNP chief and Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on minimizing, if not preventing, election-related violence as the campaign season for local officials goes into full swing.
“It may be better to replace the bodyguards of opposing political personalities with personnel from the same unit. Members of the same unit know each other so they will not fight each other,” Lacson said in Filipino Saturday, in an interview on DZRH radio.
“They will secure their principals but will not deliberately fire on each other. This may be practical in election hotspots, instead of candidates individually asking for exemption from the Commission on Elections so they can get their security detail from the PNP or AFP,” he added.
Related: Ping Lacson, Nagmungkahi ng Doable Policy Para Pigilan ang Poll Violence sa Hotspots
Meanwhile, Lacson reminded the PNP, which he headed from 1999 to 2001, to keep up its efficiency that led to the lowering of the crime rate so far this year.
The PNP cited data showing an 18.4-percent drop in eight focus crimes during a 70-day period from Jan. 12 to March 22 this year – compared to the previous 70-day period from Nov. 3, 2024 to Jan. 11, 2025. It cited improved strategies and community engagement.
Lacson said the PNP should remain focused on crime prevention and crime suppression – if it cannot prevent crimes through patrols, it should solve them, or risk encouraging the further commission of crimes.
“What I can say is, congratulations to the PNP for lower crime. Lower crime rate is a cause for us to be glad,” he said.
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Ping Lacson, Nagmungkahi ng Doable Policy Para Pigilan ang Poll Violence sa Hotspots
Bigyan ng awtoridad ang Philippine National Police (PNP) o Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) na mag-assign ng security personnel – mas mainam kung galing sa parehong unit – sa mga magkalabang kandidato, lalo na sa mga lugar na tinaguriang election hotspots.
Ito ang doable na mungkahi ni dating PNP chief at Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson para mabawasan, kung hindi man maiwasan, ang election-related violence ngayong nagsimula na ang kampanya sa lokal na lebel.
“Siguro mas maganda alisin natin ang selected bodyguards ng opposing political personalities, palitan natin ng iisang unit. Halimbawa galing sa iisang battalion o iisang company, magkakakilala yan. Hindi sila magbabarilan,” ani Lacson nitong Sabado sa panayam sa DZRH.
“They will secure their principals pero sila mismo, sabihin nating kung magkakaroon man ng barilan, baka friendly fire. Sa tingin ko sa ibang lugar na hotspots, mas magandang yan ang gawin sa halip na magkanya-kanyang request kukuha ng exemption sa Comelec para makakuha ng security detail from PNP or AFP,” dagdag niya.
Pinaalalahanan din ni Lacson sa PNP, na pinamunuan niya noong 1999 hanggang 2001, na panatilihin ang paging epektibo nito kung kaya’t bumaba ang crime rate ngayon.
Naiulat ng PNP na bumaba ng 18.4 porsyento ang walong focus crimes sa 70 araw mula Enero 12 hanggang Marso 22 ngayong taon – kumpara sa nakaraang 70 araw mula Nob. 3, 2024 hanggang Enero 11, 2025. Binida ng PNP ang pinaigting na strategy at community engagement.
Ani Lacson, dapat nakatutok ang PNP sa crime prevention at crime suppression – kung hindi man nito mapigilan ang krimen sa pamamagitan ng patrolya, dapat ay malutas nito ang mga krimen para hindi lumakas ang loob ng mga kriminal.
“Ang masasabi ko lang, congratulations sa ating mga kapulisan kung ganyan.. Basta mababa ang krimen siyempre matuwa tayong lahat,” aniya.
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