New DILG chief aims for 'zero poll casualty'

Newly installed Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla wants "zero casualties" for the midterm elections in 2025.

- ROMINA CABRERA

Remulla said they have identified some election hotspots and will continue to assess the situation in the coming weeks.

"We will enlist the help of all agencies in government to make it as peaceful as possible.

Aim, zero casualties for 2025," he told reporters yesterday.

The new Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary said they are set to issue a list of election hotspots alongside the Philippine National Police.

"BARMM is one of them.

Cagayan, maybe Nueva Ecija, Palawan, but those are premature, just off-the-cuff assessments," he said. "We will get into a definite list by the next few weeks because the filing ended just yesterday. So we will know more and give a definite list afterwards." The former Cavite governor said that during his term in local government, they mobilized a patrol vehicle for every mayoral candidate to keep them safe.

Remulla said President Marcos issued him three marching orders as DILG chief.

The first is to institute structural reforms within the various bureaus and agencies under the department.