PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar warned PNP members from engaging in any form of partisan politics amid the ongoing filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) by politicians running in next year’s elections.
Eleazar issued the warning last Sunday as he reminded police personnel of the apolitical stand of the PNP in his effort to discourage any policeman from playing politics.
“I am warning all our personnel not to meddle into political activities or do things that can be misconstrued as expression of support to any candidate,” the PNP chief said. “Mananagot sa akin ang sinumang makikisawsaw sa pulitika sa aming hanay. [Anyone who will dip his hands into politics from our ranks will have to face me.]”
“The loyalty of the more than 222,000-strong PNP is to the Constitution and to the Filipino people and not to any political candidate,” Eleazar emphasized.
The PNP chief has earlier ordered an aggressive campaign against loose firearms and private armed groups as part of the early security preparations to ensure the peaceful, honest and orderly conduct of the national and local elections next year.
Meanwhile, Eleazar said that the first two days of the filing of COCs nationwide has generally been peaceful and orderly.
The filing of COCs started on October 1 and will end on October 8.
“The filing of the Certificate of Candidacy remains peaceful and orderly across the country, but we are not lowering our guard on the possibility of any eventuality especially during the last day of the filing,” Eleazar said.
“We in the PNP are continuously focused in securing this first part of the electoral process and while I am the chief PNP, I will do everything in my power to make sure that the organization will be shielded from partisan politics,” he added.