Samira Gutoc gets ARMM police figures wrong

Senatorial candidate Samira Gutoc-Tomawis, a former member of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, cited wrong figures on the police-to-population ratio in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

STATEMENT

In the Feb. 9 GMA News senatorial debate, Gutoc, previously a member of the ARMM legislative assembly and now running under the Liberal Party, spoke of her track record in working for peace in Mindanao:

Naging grassroots leader tayo, chairman ng anti-crime movement sa Marawi City para po labanan ang terorismo (I was a grassroots leader, chairman of the anti-crime movement in Marawi City to fight off terrorism). Marami pong trabaho ang gagawin(There’s a lot of work to be done); we only have one police for 3,000 persons in our municipalities and cities in ARMM.

Source: GMA News, REPLAY: Debate 2019: The GMA Senatorial Face-Off, Feb. 9, 2019, watch from 30:34 to 30:56

FACT

Official police data do not support Gutoc’s claim.

As of Dec. 31, 2018, the ARMM police-to-population ratio stood at 1:565, or one cop for every 565 residents, data from the Philippine National Police (PNP) show.

Read the full story on VERA Files Fact Check.

___________________________________________________________________

The views and information in ‘Tsek.ph’ are those of their respective authors and owners and do not reflect the official policy or position of the media and academic partners of Tsek.ph.