Election gun ban
THE government would do well to strictly enforce the Commission on Elections-decreed gun ban to ensure the holding of peaceful, honest and credible elections on May 9.
The gun ban, which started midnight Sunday, January 9, with the poll body, police and military setting up checkpoints in various parts of this impoverished Asian nation.
Actually, the start of the ban on carrying or transporting firearms and other deadly weapons coincided with the beginning of the so-called 150-day election period.
The Comelec-imposed “gun ban” ends on June 8, which is a month after May 9, when the Filipino electorate goes to the polls to elect the successor of President Duterte.
Under the Philippine Constitution, the six-year presidency of the hard-hitting Chief Executive from Davao City in Mindanao ends at 12 noon on June 30, 2022.
During the ban, only bonafide members of the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other law enforcement agencies are allowed to carry guns.
However, Comelec authorities emphasized that only policemen, soldiers and other law enforcers on official duty and in complete uniform are exempted from the gun ban.
We believe that the implementation of the gun ban will go a long way in ensuring the holding of peaceful balloting in the country, which is teeming with election-crazy people.
The people, particularly the electorate, want concerned government authorities to crack the whip on those who try to frustrate the will of the millions of registered voters.
Kaya, tama lang na ipagbawal ang pagdadala ng baril at iba pang nakamamatay na armas sa panahon ng tinatawag na “election period.”
