PNP recalls police escorts of poll bets

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) announced that it will recall police escorts who have relatives running in the May 2025 elections back to their respective units. PNP spokesman Col. Jean Fajardo said this was part of efforts to shield police officers from partisan politics. "Ang mga miyembro ng PNP are obligated to declare whether or not they have a relative running for any political position this coming May 2025 as part of our SOP (standard operational procedure)," Fajardo said in a press conference at Camp Crame on Thursday. She said the PNP has identified police officers who have relatives running in next year's elections, especially at the local level. "All police escorts who have relatives or know people running in their place of assignment will be recalled. The DPRM is already conducting an inventory and they are being required to declare their relatives," she said in Filipino. She said covered by the recall were police escorts assigned to politicians and private individuals who would run for next year's elections. "This early, our PNP chief has already warned against using the police force to influence the May 2025 elections," she added. The election period starts with the filing of certificates of candidacy from October 1 to 8. PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil underscored the PNP's responsibility to uphold law and order without any bias or political partisan, reiterating that any officer found engaging in partisan activities or compromising the integrity of the police force will be dealt with accordingly. "We will not tolerate any officer who compromises our commitment to neutrality and fairness. Any form of political interference, whether directly or indirectly, will be met with swift and decisive action," he said. "Our goal is to deliver a safe and credible election. With the cooperation of the public and the dedication of our police force, we will succeed in ensuring that the 2025 elections are fair and peaceful," he added.