Panfilo "Ping" Lacson (Facebook)

Administration senatorial bet Panfilo "Ping" Lacson has reiterated his pitch for the Philippine National Police (PNP) or Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to assign security personnel--preferably from the same unit--to opposing political personalities in certain regions dubbed as election hotspots.

Lacson, a member of the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate, says this is a "doable" approach that can minimize, if not prevent, 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 (Comelec) so they can get their security detail from the PNP or AFP," he added.

Lacson, a former multi-term senator, is also a former PNP chief. He is on the comeback trail in the upper chamber in the upcoming May 12 mid-term elections.

Poll-related violence slammed

Earlier, former Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate strongly condemned the alarming surge in election-related violence across the country, particularly the recent killing of lawyer Maceda Lidasan Abo, an election officer; and her husband, Jojo Abo, in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.

"The brutal murder of Atty. Abo and her husband is a horrifying and unacceptable attack on the very foundations of our democratic institutions," Zarate said. 

"This, coupled with the recent shooting of Datu Piang Vice Mayor Omar Samama, the ambush slaying of Atty. Junisa Kimamao, and the attack on Atty. Ibrahim Pendatu, all in Maguindanao provinces, paints a grim picture: these are not isolated incidents; they are a clear and present danger to the integrity of the upcoming elections," he said.

Zarate emphasized the urgent need for decisive action from Comelec and law enforcement agencies. 

"The Comelec must act swiftly and decisively to ensure the safety and security of election officers, candidates, and voters. We cannot allow these acts of violence to undermine the people's right to a free , orderly, honest and fair election," he said.