Comelec' Garcia reiterates call for the dismantling of private armies

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson George Garcia renewed his appeal to dismantle private armed groups (PAGs) ahead of the 2025 national and local elections (NLE).

On Monday, Garcia urged the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to neutralize these groups, which he claimed were being used by certain individuals to intimidate, terrorize, and subvert the public’s decision and mandate.

“Inuulit ko po ang  panawagan sa DILG at PNP, buwagin ang private armies bago pumasok ang  campaign period sa Pebrero, lalo na sa March 28 kung kailan papasok ang  campaign period sa local positions,” Garcia said.

(I reiterate my call to the DILG and PNP to dismantle private armies before the  campaign period begins in February, especially by March 28 when the  campaign period for local positions starts.)

He stressed the importance of eliminating these groups to ensure peaceful and credible elections:

“Hindi mapapanatili ang katahimikan at maayos ang halalan kung mayroon  tayong private armies na nagagamit ng iilan para ipanakot, i-terrorize,  at baliktarin ang desisyon at mandato ng sambayanan. Kinakailangan at  all costs mabura ang lahat ng yan sa ating halalan.”

(We cannot maintain peace and ensure a fair election if we have private armies used by a few to intimidate, terrorize, and overturn the decisions and mandate of the people. It is essential, at all costs, to  eliminate these groups from our elections.)

Garcia’s call comes after the ambush of Sulu Provincial Election Supervisor  Julie Vidzfar’s vehicle in Zamboanga City over the weekend.

Earlier in October, Garcia emphasized that all private armed groups must be neutralized before the 2025 NLE to safeguard the integrity of the polls.

The senatorial and party-list campaign period is from February 11 to March 10, 2025.

The House of Representatives and local positions campaign period is from  March 28 to May 10, 2025.

Election day is on May 12, but overseas voters may cast their votes as early as April 13, while local absentee voters may cast their votes from April 28 to 30.

Additionally, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections will also take place in 2025. — DVM, GMA Integrated News