PRO8 to undertake checkpoint operations regionwide to implement total gun ban

By RPCRD, Police Regional Office 8
January 9, 2016

CAMP KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte – PCSupt Jose Erwin T. Villacorte, the newly assumed Acting Regional Director of Police Regional Office 8 ensures the public that Police authorities will intensify its effort to undertake public safety activities to achieve a peaceful and orderly 2016 elections on May 2016.

The PNP, as one of the deputized agencies of the COMELEC, has already disseminated to all its units that the gun ban will start midnight January 9, 2016 until June 8, 2016.

In this connection, Police authorities throughout the Eastern Visayas will simultaneously establish COMELEC checkpoints to implement the total gun ban which will start midnight of January 9, 2016, in time for the start of election period for the May 2016 presidential and local polls.

PCSupt. Villacorte said, the propagation of loose firearms has been identified as one of the main causes of violence during election period.

"This is one of the dos' and don'ts that we are going to enforce during the election period which will start on January 10. All candidates cannot hire or bring bodyguards without gun ban exemption," Villacorte added.

Comelec Resolution No. 3328 provides for the poll body to prohibit during the election period the carrying and transporting of firearms or deadly weapons by any person.

He added that those qualified candidates are not allowed to hire private armed men, only professional security personnel.

Only members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) including blue guards and other security government agencies are allowed to carry firearms during work hours in its areas of responsibility.

The campaign period for national candidates (president, vice president, senator, and party-list groups) is set on February 9 to May 7, 2016 while for local candidates will be on March 25 to May 7, 2016.

According to COMELEC, the Certificates of Authority/Gun Ban Exemptions issued in previous National and Local Elections shall not be recognized anymore in this year’s Elections. Thus, all law enforcers and security personnel in the country are reminded to apply for the renewal of their Certificates of Authority/Gun Ban Exemptions.

Furthermore, all existing authority previously granted to security personnel or body guards are likewise revoked, except the regular security complement of the President, Vice President, Senators, Congressmen and Governors, all local Elective Officials (except Barangay Officials), Justices, Judges, Cabinet Secretaries, Chairman and Commissioners of the Commission on Elections, Chief of Staff of the AFP and AFP Major Service Commanders, Director Generals and Senior Officers of the PNP.

According to the Acting Regional Director, PNP will also continue its intensified conduct of checkpoint operations as one of the measures of implementing the gun ban. Thus, the public is advised not to carry their firearms as such act is prohibited under the pain of criminal and administrative sanctions. Also, the PNP further asks the public, especially the motorists, for their cooperation and patience during the checkpoints.

Likewise, PCSupt. Villacorte reminds all its personnel especially those manning checkpoints to always observe the Police Operational Procedure (POP) and to respect human rights.

The PNP, as one of the deputized agencies of the Commission on Elections plays a vital role in ensuring a peaceful, orderly and successful SK Elections.