Manila – Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) say they will deploy no fewer than 40, 000 troops to maintain the peace during the country’s midterm elections on May 13.
Military spokesman, Col. Noel Detoyato, said on Tuesday, that the troops would help the police in ensuring the safety of the voters.
He said that already, AFP had identified areas described as “hot spots’’ or where violence was likely to erupt.
“They will be deployed in areas extra security is needed like areas of conflict or insurgency,’’ Detoyato said.
He said the Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) had tapped the military to transport election paraphernalia or materials like ballot boxes.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has also identified at least 701 election hot spots in midterm elections.
“The number includes 223 areas of concern, 382 areas of immediate concern, 94 areas of grave concern, and two areas under control of the Comelec,’’ PNP said.
It said that a place tagged as area of concern meant it had a history of election-related incidents in the last two elections and intense political rivalry, and it had been previously declared under Comelec control.
Meanwhile, the PNP said that areas of immediate concern were those where there was serious armed threat posed by the New People’s Army (NPA), Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
Others are rogue elements of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and other lawless elements.
AFP spokesperson, Brig.-Gen. Edgard Arevalo, said that during the conduct of the elections, the counter-insurgency operations would continue.
Twelve election-related killings have been reported in the run-up to the May 13 elections.
Many deaths are triggered by local rivalries in villages, towns, cities and provinces.