City cops vow to remain non-partisan
Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) Director Senior Supt. Wesley Barayuga assured that the city police will remain "apolitical" during the forthcoming May elections as they secure candidates from both camps--the administration and opposition.
Both, the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines are mandated to be non-partisan during elections. They are even prohibited to act as bodyguards to candidates without proper orders from the Comelec. The law enforcers and soldiers are not also exempted from the Comelec gun ban. Police or soldiers carrying firearms without exemption orders are arrested and charged.
Barayuga said they do not want to put Iloilo City in bad light because of politics-related incidents. He said they will not lower their guards down even if the city is not a hotspot area. "We will still keep watch and be ready at all times," he said.
Last month, Iloilo City's peace and order was put in question after Provincial Administrator Manuel Mejorada claimed they received text messages of an alleged security threat during the grand rally of the the Genuine Opposition senatorial candidates. The alleged threat prompted the rally organizers to cancel the activity.
The PNP denied the reports on the alleged threat. Nevertheless, the alleged security threat created a word war between the provincial and city government officials.
The city police is also part of the Task Force Oplan Kiskis Alis of the Comelec. They have been implementing Comelec's order to tear down all illegally posted campaign materials in non-Comelec poster designated areas.