CABANATUAN CITY – Police will be designated as liaison officers but sternly warned against moonlighting as security to candidates in the forthcoming national and local elections.
Police Regional Office 3 director Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said on Friday that the designated officers will be focal persons to get the candidates’ concerns.
“Kung anuman po ‘yung concern nila ay ma-address po natin at hindi nila iisipin na meron tayong pinapanigan,” she explained.
“Ang bilin ko at ang utos ko sa ating mga chiefs of police (COPs) ay siguraduhin na maiwasan ‘yung pagkakaroon ng iringan at tensyon sa mga kandidato. Kasi ‘yun ang maaaring pagsimulan ng kaguluhan,” Fajardo said in an interview after a command conference here with Nueva Ecija police director Col. Ferdinand Germino, his staff, and the COPs.
Fajardo warned that heads will roll once proven that some policemen were moonlighting as security details of politicians without the necessary authorization from the Commission on Elections.
She declined to identify the province or areas in the region with such situation but said there is a “double digit” number of these policemen based on reports submitted to her office on Thursday.
“Kapag meron po tayong na-monitor at na-validate na nagmu-moonlighting po as security escort kaninuman ay corresponding criminal and administrative cases will be filed against them,” she added, stressing that senior officers of these cops may also be punished.
“At yung sinabi ko kanina na heads will roll that may include the immediate relief po ng chief of police and even the provincial director if they failed to implement action kapag may ganito pong report,” she stressed.
In her visit, Fajerdo also checked police’s mobility and safety equipment as well as the volume of guns seized in previous operations and voluntarily deposited by owners.
