Comelec to set up checkpoints starting January 11 for Eleksyon 2025

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will start setting up checkpoints nationwide on January 11 as part of the preparations for the 2025 national and local elections (NLE).

This will coincide with the period of implementation of the gun ban, according to Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia on Monday.

“Actually ang election period January 11 ang start, hanggang June 12. Ibig sabihin, ganoon din kahaba ang checkpoint,” said Garcia.

(Actually, the election period will start on January 12 and end on June 12. That means that is also how long we will have the checkpoints.)

The poll body said the "plain view doctrine" will be observed. This means motorists need only to lower their windows and turn on the lights inside their vehicles when passing through the checkpoints.

Members of the police and military may be likewise deployed to the checkpoints after the poll body requested law enforcement personnel, especially in locations declared as critical areas. 

“Iba ang checkpoint ng Comelec. Hindi lang sa baril or deadly weapons ang aming pakay doon but to establish the fact na ganito pa lang kaaga gusto namin ayusin ang mga problema dun sa lugar,” said Garcia. 

(The Comelec checkpoint is different. Our aim there isn't just to look for guns or deadly weapons, but to establish the fact that we want to address the problems in the area as early as now.)

“Huag niyong ikabahala na may checkpoint sa lugar niyo. May checkpoint sa lugar niyo sapagkat ang tingin namin dapat lagyan ang lugar niyo ng checkpoint…Maybe because of the parties or contenders in the area or recent violence na nangyari sa area or dahil sa history ng iyong bayan o probinsya pero lahat yan ay para sa katahimikan nating lahat,” he said.

(Don't be concerned about the checkpoint in your area. We have set up a checkpoint there because we believe it's necessary. Maybe it's due to the political parties or candidates in the area, recent violence that has occurred, or the history of your town or province, but all of this is for the peace of us all.)

Garcia added: “Yan ay makakatulong sa atin para sa tamang assessment ng ating peace and order situation patungkol sa halalan.” 

(This will help us make a proper assessment of the peace and order situation concerning the elections.)—KG/BM, GMA Integrated News