00:00The opening of the remaining private armed groups targeted by the Philippine National Police especially since the election period has already started.
00:08Ryan Lezigue is in the center of the news.
00:13This may be a ground for the relief. That is the instruction of the CHIP-PNP.
00:17The Philippine National Police or PNP immediately finished the private armed groups in the country before the midterm elections in May.
00:24According to the PRO3 Regional Director and PNP Spokesperson, Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo,
00:30PNP Chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil ordered the ground commanders or provincial offices
00:37to dismantle all active and potential PAGs in their positions by the end of March this year.
00:45Our fear here is that if we allow this to happen, there is a big possibility that this can be used to harass, intimidate not only their opponents,
01:01but also voters. That is what our CHIP-PNP does not want. That is why it gave an ultimatum to the concerned provincial offices.
01:12Fajardo said that there are still three active PAGs in the country. One is in Region 3, Region 7, and Region 8.
01:20There are also potential PAGs in Region 1, Region 2, Region 4A, Region 8, and BARMM.
01:27One of the risk factors that we identified is the possible employment of PAGs.
01:33That is why we identified these election areas of concern is precisely for deployment purposes,
01:40so that the areas below the yellow or orange, especially the red, can be added for deployment.
01:50Provincial directors who cannot comply with the ultimatum will immediately withdraw from their positions.
01:55In addition, private armed groups or PAGs are commonly used by trusted politicians to harass their opponents and supporters whenever the election is near.
02:07Ryan Lisigues for Pambansang TV in Bagong, Philippines.
