PRO-8 stresses readiness to enforce total gun ban effective Jan. 10
PALO,Leyte -The Philippine National Police here reiterated its readiness to enforce the total gun ban effective Jan. 10.
Chief Supt. Rey Lañada, PNP regional director, said this is a nationwide operation on gun ban to achieve an honest, orderly and peaceful elections on May 10.
Lañada reminds the public that only regular plantilla members of PNP/AFP and other law enforcers (who are receiving regular compensation for services rendered) are authorized to bear/carry/transport firearms or other deadly weapons and in prescribed uniform showing clearly and legibly his name/rank/serial number, or in case rank and serial number are inapplicable, his agency-issued identification card showing clearly his name and position (which ID card shall remain visible at all times) with valid mission/letter orders and in the actual performance of election/official duty or going to or returning from his residence or station.
He said members of privately owned or operated security/investigative/protective/intelligence agencies duly authorized by the PNP can carry firearms provided they are in uniform baring his ID card and in the actual performance of duty at his specified place/area. When off duty, the issued firearms of Security Guards (SGs) shall be left/deposited in their respective posts.
All persons in civilian attire carrying firearms are presumed unauthorized and subject to arrest and investigation, he also said.
Firearms of an arrested person performing duties as security to a candidate of any elective position shall be immediately verified through the Firearms Verification Hotlines (FVH) maintained by PNP-FED. During the process of verification, the local PNP unit shall provide temporary security detail to the candidate. After confirming legitimacy of subject security detail, he shall be immediately restored to his former duty.
It was also learned that all previously issued Permits to Carry Firearms Outside of Residence (PTCFORs) are suspended effective January 9, 2010 to June 9, 2010.
Joint COMELEC/AFP/PNP teams shall be organized/deployed to conduct intensified implementation of OPLAN SITA and OPLAN BAKAL especially targeting convoys of known political candidates maintaining Partisan Armed Groups (PAGs), it was also learned.
All captured/confiscated/surrendered/deposited/abandoned/forfeited firearms will be initially deposited at the nearest police station for proper documentation/accounting/disposition.
Provision of security detail
Only PNP/AFP/NBI personnel and Protective Agents of PDA (Private Detective Agencies) shall be deputized as security detail during election period provided that they shall be in proper uniform in performing official security duties.
1. Only candidates from Mayor upwards will be provided with PNP/AFP security detail while other candidates may engage the services of Protective Agents;
2. Not more than two (2) members of PNP/AFP/NBI shall be detailed as security personnel for each candidate, with the addition, upon request, of not more than two (2) Protective Agents, save in exceptionally meritorious circumstances where additional security detail may be requested by candidates for a national elective position, subject to such conditions and restrictions that the COMELEC may impose;
3. All existing authority granting security detail are revoked effective January 10, 2010; affected individuals may re-apply for availment of same with COMELEC;
4. Candidates for House of Representative and Local Elective Positions, as well as public officers or private individuals, shall file their applications with the Regional Joint Security Control Center (R-JSCC) in their respective regions to be chaired by the COMELEC Regional Election Director;
5. Candidates for National Elective Positions shall file their applications with the Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Personnel (CBSFP) at the main office of COMELEC, Intramuros, Manila ;
6. Security detail of local candidates visiting other provinces/cities shall compulsorily register with the corresponding JSCC.
PNP officials here earlier reported close to 100 loose firearms seized during their series of anti-loose firearms campaign and 75 of the said guns were confiscated in the three Samar provinces.
The said move has been part of their anti-crime campaign in connection with series of killings involving prominent and political figure in the provinces of Northern and Samar provinces and campaign in fulfilling a peaceful political exercise this year. (MIRIAM GARCIA DESACADA & SYLVIA ALVERO ABADINGO)
- No guns during elections
- NBI agents get gun ban exemption from Comelec
- 21 arrested, 15 firearms confiscated in regionwide gun ban implementation
- 45 candidates file CoCs in Southern Leyte; reelectionist Maasin vice mayor running unopposed
- To enforce Comelec gun ban PNP to deploy another police company in Samar Island
