The Philippine National Police (PNP) is seeking the release of the P800 million it requested from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to fund all the preparations and implementation of the security for the May 9 presidential and local elections.
Director General Ricardo Marquez, PNP chief, said the request has been done but they are still waiting for the release of the money less than two months before election day.
The last time the PNP checked for the fund release, the law enforcement agency was told that the Comelec is still reconciling the liquidation of PNP funds during the previous elections.
“This is the reason for the delay for the release of the funds,” said Marquez.
Marquez explained that the fund they were asking will be used as food allowance for policemen to be deployed to polling precincts, gasoline expenses, checkpoint operations, and for the transportation of election paraphernalia.
Asked where they source their funds since the election period started two months ago, Marquez said they temporarily get the money from the PNP’s Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE).
The delay, however, is not something unusual as it had repeatedly happened in the past elections.
In 2010, the Comelec approved the release of R700M budget for the police and the military during election period.
