151-day election period starts today; gun ban in effect

MANILA, Philippines – The 151-day election period starts today as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) enforces various security measures, including the gun ban.

Comelec Commissioner Luie Tito Guia said the “Comelec can take action on certain activities... to allow us to achieve the goals of free and fair elections” on May 9.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez noted that the election period, which runs from Jan. 10 to June 8, “defines the span of time during which the Comelec exercises extraordinary powers, for purposes of ensuring honest, orderly and peaceful election.”

Based on Comelec Resolution No. 9981, which prescribes the Calendar of Activities for the coming elections, “bearing, carrying or transporting firearms or other deadly weapons, unless authorized in writing by the commission, shall be prohibited.”

Comelec Resolution No. 10015, however, allows President Aquino, Vice President Jejomar Binay, senators, members of the House of Representatives, Cabinet secretaries and other officials of the executive, judiciary, legislative and law enforcement agencies to carry guns.

Cashiers and disbursing officers or persons who “habitually” carry large sums of money or valuables and members of private security service providers are also exempted from the ban.

During the election period, the transfer or movement of officers and employees in the civil service is not allowed. 

The Comelec, however, has granted “continuing authority” to some offices to hire, appoint or transfer officers or employees.

These include the Office of the President, Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, Court of Tax Appeals and lower courts, Senate and Presidential Electoral Tribunal, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Checkpoints, to be manned by personnel from the PNP and AFP, will also be established across the county.

The Comelec has ordered the police and the military to uphold proper search procedures and seizure at checkpoints to ensure that “civil, political and human rights are not violated.”

Comelec Resolution No. 10029 states that law enforcers could not compel occupants to step out of their vehicle during checkpoint inquiry.

“Only visual search is required, where a police officer simply looks into the vehicle and flashes a flashlight therein without opening the car’s door,” the resolution reads.

Gun ban starts

PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor said the gun ban takes effect at 12:01 a.m. today and PNP units would establish checkpoints in strategic areas in the country.

Mayor said anyone who needs to carry their firearm should seek exemption from the Comelec.

He said police units are directed to set up checkpoints to preempt election-related violent incidents.

“Each police unit is directed to set up at least one checkpoint. The police chief of a city or municipality can set up more than one checkpoint if the need arises,” he added.

PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez said the PNP activated the National Security Task Force Secure and Fair Elections (NSTF-SAFE) to ensure orderly and honest elections in May.

Marquez personally led the planning and drawing up of security measures for the presidential and local elections at Camp Crame, Quezon City last week.

“The Comelec-PNP Security and Contingency Planning Workshop aims to further identify procedures and resources and mitigate the impact of the identified risk factors during elections,” Marquez said.

He added the workshop is meant to address all foreseen threats, particularly in places labeled as “areas of concern.”

Marquez said Deputy Director General Danilo Constantino, PNP deputy chief for operations, will serve as the commander of the NSTF SAFE 2016 and closely coordinate with the AFP and the Comelec.

He said the PNP-NSTF is composed of provisional units from the national to the provincial level to capture high-profile targets linked to private armed groups.

Operations officers from the PNP National Operational Support Units, Directorate for Integrated Police Operations and police regional offices will be part of the NSTF SAFE.

Earlier, the PNP had ordered all police security escorts of politicians to go back to camp a day before the start of the election period as declared by the Comelec.

Chief Supt. Alfred Corpus, Police Security Protection Group director, said anyone who needs police security would have to apply with the poll body and not with the PNP.

Corpus said about 800 policemen assigned to secure politicians would be affected by the order, which is in compliance with Comelec Resolution 10015 recalling all of them.

But he clarified that protective agents or those employed by private security agencies would be allowed to act as security of private individuals.

Private armed groups

The AFP and the PNP will actively go after private armed groups (PAGs).

“We will coordinate with the PNP to address the problem of loose firearms,” AFP chief Gen. Hernando Iriberri said.

He said the military campaign against loose firearms would zero in on private armies serving unscrupulous politicians around the country.

The military will also deal directly with the New People’s Army (NPA), known for raking in huge sums of money during the political season through their “permit to campaign” and “permit to win” schemes.

Every election, NPAs charge huge fees to allow politicians to campaign in their so-called controlled communities.

For the past months, Iriberri, along with Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, officials of the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the PNP have been visiting military and police units in the field as part of preparations for the May national and local elections.  – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Jaime Laude