Comelec gun ban starts January 9

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) total gun ban will start on January 9 in time for the start of election period for the May 2016 presidential and local polls.

Comelec-Davao deputy director lawyer Marlon Casquejo said the propagation of loose firearms has been identified as one of the main causes of violence during election period.

“This is one of the dos’ and don’ts that we are going to enforce during the election period which will start on January 9. All candidates cannot hire or bring bodyguards without gun ban exemption,” Casquejo said.

Comelec Resolution No. 3328 provides for the poll body to prohibit during the election period the carrying and transporting of firearms or deadly weapons by any person.

Casquejo added that those qualified candidates are not allowed to hire private armed men, only professional security personnel.

Only members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) including blue guards and other security government agencies are allowed to carry firearms during work hours in its areas of responsibility.

But Casquejo said the Comelec has no control over candidates who conduct earlier campaign. He added: “Dito mo malalaman kung talagang law abiding citizen ba ang candidate na to.”

The campaign period for national candidates (president, vice-president, senator, and party-list groups) is set on February 9 to May 7, 2016 while for local candidates will be on March 25 to May 7, 2016. “We will make sure that we will be strict in the implementation of the Fair Election Act during the campaign period. We will monitor them lalo na yung mga nagkakaroon ng mga rallies. Lahat ng expenses aayusin din namin,” he said.

“Kapag sumobra ang isang candidate during the campaign period, then, we will file ang corresponding disqualification case against him or her, dun na kami babawi,” Casquejo added. Casquejo said the office will have the final list of the candidates on December 10 once the Law Department is done in scrutinizing those who filed the certificate of candidacy.