'Commanding presence' of police, military needed in 5 regions

Sixty-eight private, partisan armed groups that could disrupt theMay 10 elections have been identified by authorities, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

In a closed-door command conference Thursday, the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines told the Comelec that 43 of these groups have been verified as partisan arms, while the status of the other 25 is still being verified.

Commission Rene Sarmiento said these groups "should be neutralized and should be dismantled," as they are "one big factor for the commission of violence in the Philippines which will have implication in the forthcoming elections."

Sarmiento also said that 6 regions are on the watchlist of the PNP and the AFP for possible election-related conflicts. These are Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Region, Central Luzon, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and the National Capital Region.

"I hope there will be a commanding presence of the PNP and AFP officers [in these areas]," he said.

The AFP and PNP have also tagged 8 provinces as election areas of concern. They have also placed 558 cities and municipalities under their watch.

Sarmiento said that the AFP and PNP assured Comelec in the command conference that there will be less cases of violence in the 2010 polls.

According to Sarmiento, it is important to note that the country has already experienced a drop in election-related violence during the 2007 elections as compared to the 2004 polls.

"If they are true to their word, then we will have a relatively peaceful election," he said.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez added that there will be "random checkpoints" placed in areas of as election day comes near. (Newsbreak)