Malabon police officers read up on election law

Malabon police officers who attended a seminar on the Omnibus Election Code called by City Mayor Canuto Oreta were left to fend for themselves after the local Comelec official who was invited to enlighten them failed to appear yesterday.

The officers, led by police chief Senior Superintendent Ramon de Jesus, were virtually left to interpret the law entirely by themselves.

The impromptu speakers were reduced to explaining the election code at the seminar that lasted no more than 30 minutes and had to rely mainly on a supplement of the Comelec — particularly on Amended Resolution 7764-RA (Comelec gun ban) — published by The STAR.

Lawyer Lope Gayo, Malabon City election registrar and seminar guest speaker, was reportedly called to a meeting at the Comelec main office in Intramuros, Manila, according to city Comelec assistant Lani Buhain. She added that the police was informed of Gayo’s unavailability last Friday yet De Jesus said he learned about it last Sunday.

The seminar, which started at around 9 a.m., was held in the cramped police station lobby, with about a third of the more than 30 distracted participants spilling over out into the street and in the sun.

The seminar was supposed to enlighten the lawmen on the finer points of the election code.

However, the burden of explaining the law was left to De Jesus, Chief Inspector Redyie Aldueso, head of the Station Intelligence and Investigation Division (SIID), and Inspector Jorge Tabayag, investigation branch chief.

De Jesus spoke for about 10 minutes before leaving the seminar. He emphasized that, as far as the code is concerned, the criminal charge of illegal possession of firearms has been superseded by the Comelec gun ban, which is imposed during elections.

According to Amended Resolution 7764-A, any civilian, police or government officials is prohibited from carrying of licensed firearms and deadly weapons outside their residence and place of business in public places, public buildings, streets, parks and private vehicles during the election period.

Any person convicted of violating the gun ban faces imprisonment for not less than one year to six years and a penalty of being ineligible to vote during elections or to hold public office.

Aldueso added that among the deadly weapons prohibited by the Comelec were air guns, pillbox, grenades and any other similar explosives. The election period started last Jan. 14 and will end on June 30. — Jerry Botial, Ian Estrada