Militias covered by restrictions

MANILA, Philippines - Police and military officials clarified yesterday that government militias are not totally exempted from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gun ban but, like ordinary policemen and soldiers, the paramilitary troops are allowed to carry firearms with restrictions.

Deputy Director General Jefferson Soriano, head of the Philippine National Police Task Force HOPE (Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections), said members of the Civilian Volunteer Organizations (CVOs) could carry guns only if they are in proper 5uniform and accompanied by their superior officer.

The Comelec said that militias, along with members of the Presidential Security Group, Bureau of Fire Protection, Optical Media Board and treasurer and deputy treasurer’s office and members of the Internal Security Division and security personnel of accredited foreign diplomatic corps, were exempted from the gun ban during the election period.

Comelec Commissioner Lucenito Tagle, chairman of the Committee on the Ban of Firearms and Security Personnel, said the militias are allowed to carry firearms as they are considered units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) that were exempted from the gun ban imposed by the poll body during the election period from Jan. 10 to June 9, 2010.

Under Comelec Resolution 8742 promulgated last Jan. 11 amending Resolution 8714, the militias were exempted from the gun ban along with members of several other law enforcement agencies.

Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Information Office (PIO), explained that the AFP-trained Civilian Active Auxiliaries (CAAs), formerly known as Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGUs), could only carry their firearms while on duty or during combat operations.

He said there are 57,000 militias under AFP command nationwide.

Brawner said the militias are not allowed to bring their firearms outside their detachment or outside of their posts, just like the rules set for soldiers and policemen.

Brawner said off duty militias are not allowed to bring their firearms home.

Palace backs Comelec decision

Malacañang supported the Comelec decision to exempt some paramilitary groups from the gun ban during the election period.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita pointed out the CAAs are also considered part of the AFP and essential in maintaining peace and order as well as preventing the encroachment of rebel groups into communities.

 “So they (CAAs) should not be categorized as private armies or private armed groups,” Ermita told a news briefing. “It is important that they consider this need for security forces to provide the adequate security and additional force for the maintenance of peace and order especially in far-flung areas and in areas considered as hotspots.”

He cited PNP records that listed 566 election hot spots nationwide where there is a high possibility of occurrence of politically motivated violence and areas where there are serious armed threats posed by communist and separatist rebels.

He also said there are an estimated 1,110,277 loose firearms.

“With that figure you can see that we need multiplier forces to assist the AFP and the PNP who have been deputized by Comelec to assist in the conduct of peaceful, orderly, and honest elections,” Ermita said.

Meanwhile, the PNP reported that the arrested violators have reached 92 since the gun ban took effect last Jan. 10.

Soriano added that the arrested suspects included six soldiers, five policemen and three government officials.

Militant organizations on Wednesday criticized the decision of the Comelec to exempt militias from the election gun ban.

Leaders of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), and the labor party-list group Anakpawis said the poll body’s decision to keep militiamen armed “is extremely dangerous, politically incorrect and fatally flawed” because these CAAs have previously been hired as private armies of local politicians.

Danilo Ramos, secretary-general of KMP, said the poll officials should have instead called for the immediate disbanding of the paramilitary groups due to their alleged violations of human rights.

Cherry Clemente, secretary-general of Anakpawis, said the tragic lessons of the Nov. 23 Maguindanao massacre should have compelled poll officials to direct the AFP to permanently dismantle all existing militias. With Jaime Laude, Paolo Romero, Katherine Adraneda