PNP to exercise ‘maximum restraint and tolerance’ on 2022 poll protesters

Philippine National Police force. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s police force on Thursday said it would “exercise maximum restraint and tolerance” as groups stage rallies to register their protest over the conduct of the 2022 national and local elections.

According to national police spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo, it was the directive of Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge (OIC)  Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao.

“Nagbigay na ng instruction ‘yung ating OIC, si Police Lieutenant General Vicente Danao, na ang mga magbabantay para dito sa mga gagawing mga protesta ay to exercise maximum restraint and tolerance,” she said in a public briefing.

(Danao has given an instruction to exercise maximum tolerance and restraint to those who will stage protests.)

While the PNP calls on the public to respect the vote of the majority of Filipinos, Fajardo said the institution respects the Filipinos’ right to express their sentiments on the recently concluded polls.

She added that the PNP will place security measures during these activities and manage the traffic situation around the venues of the protest actions.

“Karapatan nila yan na sila ay magsagawa ng kanilang mga kilos-protesta. On the part of the PNP ay maglalatag tayo ng seguridad diyan para din sa proteksiyon ng mga magra-rally and then, at the same time [ay] para na rin i-manage ‘yung traffic and ‘yung hindi maantala ‘yung iba nating mga kababayan na dadaan sa mga lugar na yan,” the PNP official said.

(It’s their right to hold protests. On the part of the PNP, we will put in place security measures to ensure the protection of protesters and at the same time manage the traffic around the area so that others will not be inconvenienced.)

“Aasahan din natin na sila naman din ay makikipag-cooperate at makikipag-coordinate sa atin para maging smooth ‘yung gagawin nilang mga pagkilos,” she added.

(We expect them to also cooperate and coordinate with us to run smoothly.)

A day after the May 9 elections, youth and labor sector groups assembled near the central office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Intramuros, Manila, to protest the poll results.

They protested the poll body’s alleged unpreparedness in the conduct of this year’s national and local elections and demanded clean and honest polls.

Based on the Comelec’s transparency server, which so far reflects 98.35% of election returns, presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was poised to become the country’s next top leader with over 31.1 million votes.

His running mate Sara Duterte-Carpio, daughter of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, was also set to become the next vice president with over 31.5 million votes.

READ: Marcos, Duterte head for landslide win