The Philippine National Police is monitoring the security in the “election hot spots” across the country as the May 2019 elections draw near, an official said Sunday.
PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde told GMA News they had adopted additional measures to beef up their operations amid the killings allegedly linked to the upcoming elections.
“We have activated the Special Operations Task Group to oversee the police operations,” Albayalde said.
The PNP says among the provinces included in their Election Watchlist of Areas are La Union, Abra, Masbate, Zamboanga, and Lanao del Sur.
In Zamboanga del Sur, a councilor was slightly injured after an unidentified gunman fired at her vehicle on Thursday. Teomila Nobleza was planning to file her certificate of candidacy on Monday.
Meanwhile, in Placer, Masbate, Councilor Antonio de Ocampo died and his child was injured after a gunman fired shots at them. De Ocampo was also planning to run in the May 2019 polls.
Aside from the activation of the Special Operations Task Group, which will handle election-related incidents, security commanders on the ground have also been reshuffled as part of the preparations for the coming polls.
The PNP has also strengthened its campaign against loose firearms and gun-for-hire groups.
Albayalde said they were keeping an eye on these groups, whose services are likely to be employed as the 2019 elections draw near.
The filing of candidacies for the May 2019 elections started on Oct. 11 and will end on Oct. 17.