The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said the Philippine National Police (PNP) should dismantle private armed groups ahead of the May midterm elections.

“Sa atin pong PNP, ang patuloy na panawagan ng Commission on Elections na lahat ng private armed groups ay dapat na mawala bago magsimula ang campaign period sa national man lang (We are asking the PNP to dismantle private armed groups before the start of the campaign period even in just in the national),” Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

The 90-day campaign period for the national candidates — for senator and party-lists will start from 11 February until 10 May.

Meanwhile, local bets will have 45 days to campaign from 28 March to 10 May.

Garcia said the presence of private armed groups ahead of the twin polls may compromise peace and stability in certain areas where they are rampant.

“Hindi makakaboto nang maayos ang ating mga kababayan, mananakot at mas mapapadali ang pamimili nila ng boto, at the same time, yung hindi nila pagpapaboto sa ilang grupo dahil kalaban ng pulitiko na may private armed group (Our countrymen will not be able to vote properly, they will be intimidated and it will be easy for some politicians with private armed groups to buy votes and to not allow some groups to vote because they are their enemies),” he explained.

“Dapat po mawala ang private armed groups sa ating bansa (Private armed groups in our country should be neutralized),” he added.

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

The Bangsamoro Parliamentary polls will also be conducted on 12 May.

On Monday, 6 January, the Comelec started the printing of 73 million official ballots that will be used for the twin polls at the National Printing Office in Quezon City.

According to Garcia, of the 73 million ballots, 68.4 are in national and local elections, 2.3 are in Bangsamoro polls, nearly 12,000 overseas voting (OV), and 100,000 local absentee voting.

Garcia said they will also print one million test ballots.

He said the first batch of ballots to be printed are for OV, local absentee, test ballots, and Bangsamoro polls, the last is Metro Manila, “which is nearest.”

To be printed on the ballot are some 44,000 candidates for at least 18,121 positions from senatorial to municipal/city councilors throughout the country.

The names for national and local candidates are in alphabetical order, while the party-list groups are listed based on their numerical placing which were earlier determined by an electronic raffle.