CABANATUAN CITY -The Nueva Ecija police extends its anti-political violence operations from the politicians down to their supporters, such as barangay captains and campaign managers, a ranking police official said on Tuesday.
Senior Supt. Ricardo Marquez, director of the Nueva Ecija police provincial office, also vowed to effect the arrest of security escorts working for any politician without necessary permit from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) once the election period starts early next year.
“We will see if these presidents of the Association of Barangay Captains and campaign managers are predisposed to use violence,” said Marquez.
The actions, he said, will be undertaken even if “the situation has greatly improved now.” He said the police re-assesses the condition in several areas, including the municipalities of Lupao where the elected mayor and vice mayor were killed at the same time nearly a month after winning the 2007 elections.
“The situation in Lupao appears to be different now,” he added.
But the police, he said, are looking into the case of five areas where political rivalries seem to be intense. These are the towns of Bongabon, Quezon, Jaen, San Antonio, and the city of Gapan.
Meanwhile, Gov. Aurelio Umali has formally requested the Comelec to place the province under its control during the 2010 elections.
Board Member Joseph Ortiz of the province’s second district said Umali made the decision “if only to make sure the voice of the people will be heard.”
The governor himself, according to Ortiz, finds it somehow awkward for him to initiate the call for Comelec control but he did it for the benefit of the people.
Vice Gov. Edward Thomas Joson who runs for governor against Umali has also expressed approval of the move. His family, he said, never had a history of electoral fraud.
Senior Supt. Ricardo Marquez, director of the Nueva Ecija police provincial office, also vowed to effect the arrest of security escorts working for any politician without necessary permit from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) once the election period starts early next year.
“We will see if these presidents of the Association of Barangay Captains and campaign managers are predisposed to use violence,” said Marquez.
The actions, he said, will be undertaken even if “the situation has greatly improved now.” He said the police re-assesses the condition in several areas, including the municipalities of Lupao where the elected mayor and vice mayor were killed at the same time nearly a month after winning the 2007 elections.
“The situation in Lupao appears to be different now,” he added.
But the police, he said, are looking into the case of five areas where political rivalries seem to be intense. These are the towns of Bongabon, Quezon, Jaen, San Antonio, and the city of Gapan.
Meanwhile, Gov. Aurelio Umali has formally requested the Comelec to place the province under its control during the 2010 elections.
Board Member Joseph Ortiz of the province’s second district said Umali made the decision “if only to make sure the voice of the people will be heard.”
The governor himself, according to Ortiz, finds it somehow awkward for him to initiate the call for Comelec control but he did it for the benefit of the people.
Vice Gov. Edward Thomas Joson who runs for governor against Umali has also expressed approval of the move. His family, he said, never had a history of electoral fraud.
