MANILA: The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) declared yesterday the highest state of alert throughout the country to make smooth operation of coming Monday’s national and local elections.
“The red alert status is to ensure that all units in the AFP are prepared and are ready for the election this coming Monday,” AFP spokesman Domingo Tutaan told a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo yesterday.
“These are all in place, all systems go as we say. Our coordination with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Philippine National Police have been doubly heightened so that these efforts will be coordinated and will really be attuned to making the elections safe and free,” he said.
The Philippine Nation Police (PNP) earlier said that 66 election-related violent incidents have been so far reported, leaving 44 people dead.
The 2013 Philippine general election on May 13 will be a midterm election, which will elect 12 senators, 229 district members of the House of Representatives, 80 provincial governors.
THE PHILIPPINE STAR
