The Philippine National Police (PNP) said that there is no need for police to seek permission from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) regarding the implementation of their “Oplan Katok” to motorists at checkpoints.
This was stated by PNP spokesperson and Police Regional Office (PRO) 3 Regional Director BGen. Jean Fajardo after Comele chair George Erwin Garcia expressed his disapproval of the PNP’s Oplan Katok due to fears that it could be used for harassment.
“We will be coordinating, sitting down, and discussing with Comelec to inform them of the nature of the Oplan Katok, and we want to assure the Comelec that this is not intended to harass anyone po,” Fajardo stated.
“We want to assure everyone, particularly the Comelec, this is not intended to harass or coerce or intimidate anyone,” she added.
Fajardo maintained that the said operation is a “regular function” of the police body.
Fajardo also said that even before the election period begins, the PNP’s Oplan Katok has already begun.
“We want to assure the Comelec that this was not started because of the election. Even prior to the start of the election, we are doing it,” the police spokesperson said.
At the same time, Fajardo clarified that the subjects of Oplan Katok are not just voters but individuals with expired gun registration and licenses, which are intended to remind them to renew their firearms papers.
“Particularly when we have expired licenses, part of our intervention is to go to these expired licenses,” the police official said.
According to PNP data, more than 621,000 licensed gun holders have been sent notices more than 300,000 firearms have been revoked.