ni Lolet Abania | April 11, 2022
Inianunsiyo ng Commission on Elections (Comelec) na binigyan na ng gun ban exemption ang mga kuwalipikadong mga senior government officials, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents, at mga election officers.
Ayon kay Comelec Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan, inamyendahan na ng en banc ang Comelec Resolution No. 10728, kung saan nakasaad ang prohibition kaugnay sa mga unauthorized firearms at bodyguards bago pa ang election period.
Ipinagbabawal, batay sa Comelec resolution, “bearing, carrying or transporting firearms or deadly weapons outside residence or place of business and in all public places from January 9 to June 8, 2022 or for a total of 150 calendar days.”
Paliwanag ni Pangarungan, ang pag-amyenda ng nasabing resolusyon ay layong mapadali at simplehan ang pagbibigay ng exemptions sa ban hinggil sa pagkakaroon, pagdadala at pag-transport ng mga baril o iba pang nakamamatay na mga armas, gayundin ng mga ammunitions at explosives o kanilang components, sa mga karapat-dapat na aplikanteng public officials.
“These officials need to feel secured in performing their duties, free from fear and pressure from others,” saad ng poll chairman sa isang news briefing ngayong Lunes.
“The amendment also allows the Comelec to be more responsive to security concerns in election hotspots by granting the Comelec Chairman the authority to place election areas of concern, already approved by the Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns (CBFSC), under Comelec control,” sabi pa ni Pangarungan.
Sa ilalim ng inaprubahang amendment, ang Office of the Vice President, senators, congressmen, court justices, cabinet secretaries hanggang sa mga assistant secretaries at kanilang security detail ay exempted na ngayon mula sa election gun ban.
Binanggit din ni Pangarungan na iyong mga binigyan ng gun ban exemption ay dapat na mayroong valid License to Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF), Certificate of Firearms Registration (CFR), valid Permit to Carry Firearms Outside of Residence (PTCFOR). “Provided further, that in no instance shall they carry two (2) firearms,” ani Pangarungan.
“And provided furthermore, that these public officials shall submit to the CBFSC not later than April 19, 2022 the list of their firearms and qualified security detail,” dagdag ng opisyal.
Ang Comelec en banc, na bumoto ng 4-3, ay nag-aawtorisa rin kay Pangarungan para mag-grant ng gun ban exemptions sa tinatawag na “urgent and meritorious cases,” gayundin, ilagay ang mga itinuturing na election areas of concern sa ilalim ng kontrol ng poll body.
Samantala, nilinaw ni Pangarungan na mayroon nang exemption patungkol dito si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte bilang commander in chief ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
“You know we granted certificate of authority to the AFP. Lahat ng sundalo meron silang authority to carry firearms in the same manner na lahat ng pulis mayroong general authority to carry firearms. Don’t forget that the President is the commander in chief of AFP, so meron nang dating exemption si President Duterte,” pahayag ni Pangarungan.
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