Police forces across the country are now on highest security alert status as part of the security measures for the national and local elections on Monday, May 9.
"“We are all systems go. We have placed all police stations nationwide on Full Alert Status," said Gen. Dionardo Carlos, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The Full Alert is the highest security alert status for the PNP, which means that all police personnel must be present in their posts and that all resources of the police are either deployed or on standby for any eventuality.
More than 50,000 policemen have been tapped to secure the national and local elections, including almost 1,000 uniformed personnel who had just undergone a refresher course as Board of Election Inspectors (BEI).
They are now on standby and prepositioned in cases that teachers designated as BEIs would not show up on election day for security reasons.
Carlos said the number also includes members of the PNP elite forces who are tasked to serve as back up forces in areas classified as election hot spots. The PNP earlier submitted 114 cities and municipalities classified as hot spots.
"We will stand strong, we will finish strong and we will perform professionally for peaceful elections. The 225,000 strong men and women of the PNP are with the Comelec (Commission on Elections) to make sure that we guard the votes of our Filipino nation," said Carlos.
"That is a commitment. And to the Filipino people, your PNP will be there in all polling centers and polling precincts to make sure that your votes will be counted," he addd.
On the part of the PNP, military chief of staff Gen. Andres Centino said they are ready to assist in ensuring peaceful and credible elections.
"The AFP is prepared, we are ready, we have done the planning, we have done the organization, and we have set up our monitoring command centers," said Centino.
"We are declaring 'red alert' by Friday so that we ensure that all AFP personnel across the country are accounted for by their commanders and ready for the election on Monday," he added.