PNP to remove campaign posters from gov’t properties

February 19, 2019

The Philippine National Police (PNP) will remove campaign material in government properties.

Senior Supt. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesman, said Tuesday this was ordered by  PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde based on the directives of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Campaign posters and advertisements will be removed from all government-owned property on orders of President Rodrigo Duterte thru Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año,” he said.

“PNP Chief, Director General Oscar Albayalde issued a directive cascading the orders of the chief executive to all PNP regional directors for immediately action to take down all election campaign materials in government offices and facilities such as billboards, tarpaulins, posters, steamers, banners, and similar campaign materials, to add more teeth to the enforcement of provisions of Comelec Resolution No. 10488,” he added.

Albayalde also reminded police to remain non-partisan during the mid-term polls.

“The PNP is duty bound to ensure a level playing field for honest, orderly and peaceful elections in May as an apolitical and non-partisan deputized agency of the Commission on Elections,” said Albayalde.

“To be more emphatic about the strictly apolitical stand of the PNP, I am serving notice to all police personnel to remain steadfast along this command policy with due regard to existing rules and regulations that prohibit personnel from engaging in partisan political activity,” he added.

Albayalde said "the 181,775-strong police contingent will be deployed for public safety and general law enforcement duties on election day.”

“Of this number, 99,976 PNP personnel (55 percent) will be deployed in polling centers, while 54,532 personnel (30 percent) will be assigned to Quick Reaction Teams and 18,177 personnel (10 percent) will compose the Reactionary Standby Support Force, and the remaining 9,089 will compose the Red Team and Headquarters Skeletal Forces,” he said. Robina Asido/DMS