Following the relatively peaceful conduct of Monday’s elections, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has downgraded its alert status from “red” to “blue” effective noon on Wednesday.
“Red alert was downgraded to blue as of 12 noon today [Wednesday] now that nearly all local candidates have been proclaimed. And may be further downgraded to white or normal alert when the candidates to national positions will have been proclaimed,” said AFP Spokesman Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo in a message to reporters.
Blue alert means 50 percent of all military personnel should be inside camps and will be deployed for any contingency while red alert requires all troops to be ready for the same purpose.
Arevalo added AFP chief Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr. has joined the nation in a call for unity as polls come to a close.
“We may have differed in our choices, he said, but are one in our desire for good governance,” the AFP spokesman added.
“We only have one country with one aspiration as a people which is national security and sustainable development that follows from strong basic institutions,” he said.