00:00In an effort to ensure the peaceful and orderly conduct of elections, the Philippine National Police, or PNP,
00:05has started taking steps to ensure such goal is achieved.
00:09Among them is the removal of several security personnel for VIPs.
00:13Why? Ryan Lasigas explains in this report.
00:19More than 800 personnel of the Philippine National Police, or PNP, assigned as security to various personalities,
00:25politicians, and government officials have been recalled in conjunction with the upcoming elections.
00:30According to Police Regional Office 3 Director and PNP Spokesperson,
00:34Police Brigadier General Gene Fajardo, 445 were removed from the government officials,
00:39228 from private individuals, and 197 from candidates.
00:44Fajardo stated that if an individual faces a life threat, they may be granted a one-month extension by the PNP,
00:51while their application for authorization from the KOMELEC is being processed.
00:55These individuals may also hire protective agents from licensed private security agencies,
01:00but only a maximum of two guards will be allowed.
01:03Those who were recalled and assigned to the main office of the PNP,
01:09according to General Nestor Babagay, the Director of the PNP,
01:13they will undergo a repressure course so that after the election,
01:18they can be deployed to the areas that need protective security.
01:25For those who were assigned to the regions,
01:28they will be distributed and used for election duties
01:34so that the territorial policemen will be more effective.
01:39The recall of PNP police security personnel is part of policies implemented
01:43during elections to keep the police force non-partisan and free from politics.
01:48Those protection agents should have a license to exercise their profession
01:55and they should be employed by what we call private detective agencies.
02:02Other than that, private individuals cannot be bodyguards of those who run,
02:09especially while we are under the KOMELEC election period.
02:15Meanwhile, the PNP's enhanced KOMELEC checkpoint operations continue.
02:19In fact, authorities have already seized 93 firearms,
02:23while nearly 100 individuals have been arrested for violating the nationwide KOMELEC gun ban.
02:28Of the total arrests, 33 were apprehended at checkpoints,
02:3210 in bypass operations, 39 during police responses,
02:36and 3 during search warrant operations.
02:39Among those arrested were 78 civilians, 3 security guards, 2 AFP personnel,
02:451 Bureau of Corrections employee, and 1 appointed government official from BARMM.
02:50Others are showing their license to own and possess firearms and firearms registration,
02:58but we are explaining that since the election period started,
03:03only those individuals who have an exemption from KOMELEC,
03:08even if they have a permit to carry firearms outside their residences and places of business,
03:15are sanctioned or at least covered by the gun ban.
03:18According to the DILG, the PNP has established over 6,000 checkpoints nationwide since January 12.
03:25DILG Secretary John V. Cremulia stated,
03:27this is part of strategic measures to address peace and safety concerns
03:32for the 2025 national and local elections.
03:36Ryan Lisigues, from the National TV Network,
03:40for a new and better Philippines, Kamp Krame.
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