PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief General Benjamin C. Acorda Jr. told the public there will be a continuing enforcement of the nationwide gun ban in connection with the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) period which started on August 28 and will end on November 29.

Since the start of the gun ban, the police have already apprehended over 1,900 violators and confiscated around 1,500 guns.

Nearly 3,000 others were either surrendered or deposited for safekeeping by their registered owners during the period.

The general said the gun ban implementation is part of their effort to prevent post-BSKE related-incidents.

As of October 27, there were already a total of 135 Election-Related Incidents, 26 of which were Validated ERIs, 24 are Suspected ERIs and 85 are Non-ERIs.

Acorda has ordered all 17 Police Regional Offices to step-up the enforcement of the gun ban and the campaign against partisan armed groups in the days leading to the end of the BSKE period.

The top cop ordered the strict enforcement of the nationwide prohibition on the unauthorized carrying of guns during the BSKE period as part of their effort to prevent the possibility these weapons may be used to commit violence.

Only members of the PNP, the Armed Forces and other law enforcement agencies in the official performance of duty and in prescribed uniform are allowed to carry their issued firearms in public.

The PNP chief said that the full deployment of 187,600 PNP personnel for election duties commenced on Saturday as the PNP goes on full alert effective 12:01 a.m. of the day.

He, however, said the 17 Police Regional Office directors have been given the discretion to deploy personnel under their operational control and supervision earlier than Saturday, depending on the prevailing peace and security situation in their respective areas.

“In areas of concern, particularly those under Comelec control, we have allocated additional human and logistical resources to ensure a seamless election process.

Security measures have been beefed up, including daily risk and threat assessments, to preserve peace and order,” he explained.

Negros Oriental and Libon, Albay have been placed under Comelec control in the aftermath of a series of deadly shooting incidents in those areas, said PNP Deputy Chief for Operations, Lieutenant Gen. Michael John Dubria.

Additional security troops have also been deployed in Abra and Cotabato due to several deadly shooting incidents.

Acorda said that 300 members of the National Capital Region Police Office’s Regional Mobile Force Battalion have been sent to Bangsamoro Administrative Region to augment security in the region as NCRPO director, Brigadier Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr., expressed confidence that the situation in Metro Manila is not that worrisome compared to BARMM.

However, members of the Reactionary Standby Support Force from the PNP National Headquarters were ordered to temporarily take over the posts of the NCRPO-RMFB personnel sent to BARMM.

In Abra, Gen. Acorda said additional RSSF troops, as well as those from the provincial headquarters and the PNP Special Action Force, have been mobilized to secure the province amid some suspected election-related incidents which have prompted some candidates to withdraw.

To further bolster the security of the electoral process, the PNP chief said they have intensified checkpoint operations and strengthened border controls nationwide.

“Our message to the public is clear–election day will remain under our control, and we will not tolerate any disruptions or threats to the peaceful exercise of your right to vote.

We urge the public to cooperate with our security measures,” he said.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon