MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has recorded 11 election-related incidents (ERIs) since the start of the election period on January 12 and as measures tightened ahead of the May 12 polls.

PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said in a radio interview on Sunday that the police have received a total of 39 suspected ERIs as of March 28. However, only 11 of these incidents were confirmed to be election-related.

“Out of the 39 reported cases, 11 have been validated as poll-related, while five are still undergoing verification,” Fajardo said. 

“The remaining 23 were determined to be unrelated to the elections,” she said.

Security measures intensified

With the local campaign period in full swing, the PNP is closely monitoring potential election hotspots to prevent violence from escalating.

“We want to ensure that these incidents do not turn into more serious threats, especially now that the local campaign period has started,” Fajardo said.

She noted that local elections tend to be more intense compared to national races, prompting PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil to strengthen security operations in areas of concern.

Election hotspots decreased

Fajardo also reported a slight decrease in the number of election areas of concern, from 403 as of March 19 to 386.

“One of the factors contributing to this decline is the swift response of our units to the concerns raised by political aspirants,” she explained.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) classifies election hotspots based on the level of threat:

• Red areas face serious armed threats and a history of election violence.
• Orange areas have significant security concerns.
• Yellow areas have a history of poll-related incidents.
• Green areas are considered relatively peaceful.

PNP on high alert

To maintain order and prevent election-related violence, the PNP has placed all police units on heightened security alert.

“We are ensuring that at least 75 percent of our total force is ready for deployment,” Fajardo said.

As part of the preparations, the PNP has canceled leave applications for all officers and directed regional police units to intensify monitoring efforts in their respective areas.

The campaign period for senatorial candidates and party-list groups began on February 11, while all candidates have until May 10 to woo voters before the elections on May 12. (PNA)