AFP monitoring 403 ‘areas of concern’ to ensure peaceful elections

A total of 403 cities and municipalities considered as “areas of concern” nationwide are being monitored by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) along with other law enforcement agencies to ensure that the upcoming May 12 midterm elections will be peaceful, a military official disclosed on Sunday, Feb. 16.

Col. Francel Margareth Padilla, AFP spokesperson, said 188 areas are under category yellow, 177 areas are under category orange, and 38 areas are under category red.

Areas that were placed under the category yellow have a history of election-related incidents; those that were under the orange category have serious armed threats, while those under the red category have serious armed threats and a history of election-related incidents.

“These will be the baseline of the deployment of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” she said in a radio interview over dzBB.

Around 18,000 AFP personnel will be deployed for election duty but Padilla said this might be increased as the election season nears.

She said the AFP is on alert for various security challenges related to the upcoming polls including threats coming from communist groups, local terrorists, private armed groups, clan feuds (rido), and other hostile actors.

“The AFP, under the umbrella of the Comelec (Commission on Elections), is in partnership with the PNP [Philippine National Police] and other government agencies in ensuring that we will have peaceful elections,” Padilla stressed.

‘Kill senators’

President Marcos slammed former president Rodrigo Duterte in his bailiwick, particularly for the latter’s joke about killing senators to ensure his candidates’ victory in the 2025 polls.

Marcos said this as he campaigned for the administration’s 12 senatorial candidates at the ‘Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas’ rally in Carmen, Davao del Norte on Saturday, Feb. 15.

In his speech, Marcos, unfazed despite being in Duterte’s stronghold, lamented how the former president had to resort to joking about killing at the PDP-Laban kick-off rally in San Juan City.

“Siguro akala nila wala silang pag-asa kaya papatay na lang sila ng 15 senador (Perhaps they think they don’t stand a chance that’s why they will just kill 15 senators),” he said.

“Ang iniisip lang nila ang kaisa-isang solusyon sa lahat ng problema ay pumatay pa ng Pilipino. Nakakapagtaka kung bakit ganoon (They think the only solution to all problems is to kill more Filipinos. It’s puzzling why they think that way),” he added.

President Marcos said Duterte probably made the remark because they were overwhelmed by his candidates.

“Maiintindihan mo rin dahil kung ako nga ay nasa kabilang partido at itong mga ito ay kaharap natin, ay, naku baka mahirap na kampanya ito dahil mabigat ang kalaban (You would understand because if I were in their shoes and these people were our opponents, well, this might be a tough campaign because the adversary is formidable),” he said.

“Natatakot ata sila sa inyo, eh. Dahil pag nakita ang lineup ng Alyansa eh kung anu-ano ang sinasabi (I think they’re afraid of you because they started saying all sorts of things when they see Alyansa’s lineup),” he added.

Early this week, former president Duterte criticized Marcos and his administration for making promises but falling short of expectations. The former also reiterated his illegal drug use allegations against Marcos.

Marcos vouched for his candidates’ abilities, saying all of them either held positions in the legislature or led their respective local governments to progress.

Eight of the 12 senatorial hopefuls were present during Alyansa’s Davao del Norte rally—former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, Rep. Erwin Tulfo, former Senate President Tito Sotto, Senator Bong Revilla, Senator Lito Lapid, former senator Manny Pacquiao, Senator Francis Tolentino, and Makati City Mayor Abby Binay.

NBI should probe

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) should look into former president Duterte’s remarks about killing senators in order to ensure the victory of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) senatorial slate.

Assistant Majority Leader Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said the NBI must give to the ex-president “the same level of scrutiny” it showed to the latter’s daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, when she publicly announced an alleged assassination plot against President Marcos.

“In a democracy, words have power—especially when they come from someone who has held the highest office in the land. If certain statements warrant legal scrutiny, it is imperative that all similar declarations be assessed fairly and consistently,” Adiong said in a statement Sunday, Feb. 16.

House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Party-list Rep. France Castro said Duterte’s remarks “are not jokes” but “dangerous and show the true nature of how they view political opposition—as targets for elimination,” she added.

Non-issue

Some senators believed that Duterte’s remark that he would kill members of the upper chamber is a non-issue.

“Mapagbiro lang talaga si PRRD (PRRD really has a sense of humor.),” Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said in a Viber message to reporters.

For Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr., he thinks that it’s just Duterte’s way of expressing himself.

Senator Risa Hontiveros deflected this and said that what really needs to be eliminated or reduced are the high prices of goods.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, meanwhile, said that it’s important to pray for peace during the election period.

‘Pro-Pinoy’

Deputy Majority Leader La Union 1st district Rep. Paolo Ortega V and Manila 1st district Rep. Ernix Dionisio approved of President Marcos’ fiery, pro-Filipino speeches in the ongoing campaign rallies of the administration-backed Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate.

The Chief Executive had painted the picture of the 12-person Alyansa slate as “pro-Filipino instead of being pro-China” and “not having blood-soaked hands”. He also said none of them supported Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Fillipinos) which turned out to be backed by syndicated crime.

Alyansa campaign manager Toby Tiangco has clarified what the administration slate’s campaign battle cry is.

“No [it’s not unity]. First of all, paliwanag natin papaano ba napilit at papaano nabuo ‘yong Alyansa (Let’s explain how Alyansa was forced into existence and formed),” Tiangco said in an interview over the weekend.

“So, Alyansa is composed of five political parties. It’s really an alliance para sa Bagong Pilipinas (for a new Philippines),” he said.

“The message now is what they (Alyansa bets) can individually do to help the President in his legislative agenda to bring a better life for the Filipino people,” Tiangco said.

— Martin Sadongdong with reports from Argyll Cyrus Geducos, Ellson Quismorio, Dhel Nazario and Joseph Pedrajas