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PESANTE NEWS
May 4, 2010

FAILURE OF ELECTIONS IN THE OFFING?

Los Angeles--The Armed Forces of the Philippines has started fielding more than 7,300 soldiers in Metro Manila even as it declared 10 cities in the capital region as election “hotspots.”

These with news filtering to PESANTE NEWS that politicians are arming their forces and deliberately ignoring the gun ban. PESANTE NEWS also learned that the airport are packed with supporters of candidates from LA who are trying to get out of Manila due to the
situation.

The situation turned to the worst when 78,000 PCOS machines cocked out and and there was a call for manual elections to the COMELEC. PGMA's lawyers have formally called for a postponement of elections for the next two weeks.

Trouble Spots

The cities of Pasay, Manila, Parañaque, Pasig, Makati, Valenzuela, Malabon, Marikina, Caloocan and Quezon have been included in the military’s “election watchlist of areas,” said AFP spokesperson Lt. Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr.

“The NCRCom [National Capital Region Command] will keep a close watch on these areas where rivalries among local candidates are very intense,” he said.

Burgos said the NCRCom made the assessment based on recent and previous election-related incidents reported in these areas.

Three battalions

Col. Ricardo Nepomuceno, the spokesperson for the military’s Task Force HOPE (Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections), said three AFP battalions have been deployed in the capital since Monday.At least three more military battalions will be on standby to provide backup if needed, he said.

About 100 soldiers who have just returned from the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Golan Heights will be joining the AFP contingent in the NCR.Special attention is being paid on the NCR because, apart from its considerable size, it is the seat of government, said Nepomuceno.

“Whatever happens here would have a big impact to the whole country,” he said.

According to Nepomuceno, soldiers will be assigned to watch over the 743 polling centers located in 16 cities and one municipality in Metro Manila.

Also Tuesday, National Police Chief Director General Jesus Verzosa announced that the 130,000-strong Philippine National Police will be on full alert status, starting at 8 a.m. Wednesday.

This means that all police personnel are to report to their respective units and attend to specified election duties.

“All official leaves will be cancelled to ensure that we will have 100 percent of our personnel addressing security concerns pertaining to the elections,” said Chief Supt. Leonardo Espina, the PNP spokesperson.

Nepomuceno has allayed fears of some sectors that the military’s presence in the metropolis had something to do with a supposed plot to rig the elections.

Probable Coup in Manila?

He said the AFP’s operations center was swamped with calls and text messages from the media and concerned individuals shortly after some 5,000 heavily armed soldiers attended an interfaith prayer service at Camp Crame, the PNP’s general headquarters, on Monday.The send-off ceremony was customary before soldiers set out on missions, Nepomuceno said.

Meanwhile, Verzosa directed police commanders to confiscate all private-owned military-type vehicles being used by politicians in campaign sorties.

According to the PNP chief, the PNP has received complaints that private armies of local candidates have been “intimidating” the supporters of their opponents by posing as police or military personnel.

The PNP is percieved to be pro-Aquino of LP while the AFP is percieved to be pro-GMA with general Delfin Bangit as chief of staff.

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He said the AFP’s operations center was swamped with calls and text messages from the media and concerned individuals shortly after some 5,000 heavily armed soldiers attended an interfaith prayer service at Camp Crame, the PNP’s general headquarters, on Monday.The send-off ceremony was customary before soldiers set out on missions, Nepomuceno said.

Meanwhile, Verzosa directed police commanders to confiscate all private-owned military-type vehicles being used by politicians in campaign sorties.

According to the PNP chief, the PNP has received complaints that private armies of local candidates have been “intimidating” the supporters of their opponents by posing as police or military personnel.

The PNP is percieved to be pro-Aquino of LP while the AFP is percieved to be pro-GMA with gen