Para iwas asunto: Eleazar urges cops to be careful in joining 'Oplan Baklas'

Retired police general and senatorial candidate Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar urged policemen to refrain from personally removing campaign materials during the conduct of the Commission on Elections-led “Oplan Baklas” in order avoid legal troubles and being the subject of hate posts from the social media.

This, as the Philippine National Police (PNP) was among the agencies severely criticized in the social media after photos and short videos showing policemen removing campaign materials in private properties were posted in the social media.

Several groups accused the Comelec of violations of the law and being partisan and even threatened to file cases against Comelec and PNP personnel who were seen in the social media posts.

“When it comes to elections and politics, policemen should really be careful because they have been complicates issues and the worst part is that it is the policemen on the ground who usually suffer the brunt of legal implications and hate posts in the social media,” said Eleazar.

“In the end, kawawa naman ang mga pulis na maiipit dito. Para iwas asunto at maiwasan na maging laman ng mga hate post sa social media, dapat mag-ingat ang ating kapulisan dito (It is the policemen who would suffer from this. To avoid legal troubles and being subjected to hate posts in the social media, our policemen should really be careful,” he added.

He then advised policemen to limit its involvement in providing security to Comelec personnel to also ensure that the police force will continuously be isolated from partisan politics.

Eleazar also advised police commanders to make sure that any request for assistance and deployment of personnel for Oplan Baklas should be documented to ensure transparency.

“And most importantly, policemen should be reminded by their commanders before any deployment to refrain from actively participating in the removal of the tarpaulins and other campaign materials. The participation of the PNP on this matter should be strictly limited to providing security,” said Eleazar.

He said even a single photo or a video clip of a policeman in uniform removing any tarpaulin that would circulate in the social media is enough to put the entire police organization in bad light.

As soon as he assumed the top PNP post in May last year, Eleazar already ordered early security preparations for the May 9 elections this year, focusing on the crackdown on loose firearms and partisan armed groups.He said the PNP has a big role to play in ensuring the peaceful and credible conduct of the national and local elections.