(UPDATE) THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is doing background checks on candidates in the May elections to safeguard the ballot from foreign influence.
AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the military, through its intelligence network, “will check all candidates, including their background. If we find red tags, we will inform the Commission on Elections (Comelec) about this.”
Brawner said the AFP wants to avoid “a repetition of what happened during the previous elections that a certain candidate was able to slip by.”
Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. (PHOTO: MIKE ALQUINTO)
The National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) had earlier revealed that dismissed Bamban, Tarlac, Mayor Alice Guo or Guo Hua Ping was an “agent of influence” for China who used her position to influence public opinion or decision-making “to benefit the country that hired her.” Guo won in the 2022 elections.
Brawner said the military is coordinating with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Comelec to prevent a similar case from happening.
At the opening of the National Election Monitoring Center (NEMC) in Camp Crame on Friday, PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil made it clear that police officers are “strictly not allowed” from providing security to candidates without Comelec authorization.
“We are very strict about that. That’s what we need; we are very strict with our people that are moonlighting and having private duties,” Marbil said.
Candidates are allowed a maximum of two police security escorts as long as they comply with Comelec regulations.
“But right now we are looking at the low-threat and medium-threat, so I need to discuss with the chairman what will be our policy on this, but again, we’re very strict against that moonlighting; we make sure that they will be discharged,” Marbil said.
He warned that officers doubling as bodyguards for candidates will be discharged.
Marbil stressed that the PNP will “not tolerate any officer who compromises commitment to neutrality and fairness.”
Brawner also reminded military personnel, particularly members of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu), not to work as security escorts for candidates.
“In the past elections, we didn’t have any problem with our active AFP members moonlighting. Almost none. They are not moonlighting. But what we are monitoring is our Cafgus,” Brawner said.
Cafgus are an irregular auxiliary force that can be called upon to support AFP operations.
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