KAMPO HENERAL, PACIANO, RIZAL – The Laguna Police Provincial Office, together with the Commission on Elections and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, yesterday started establishing Comelec checkpoints in strategic locations in the province.

The move was to strictly implement the ban on the bearing, carrying, or transporting of firearms and other deadly weapons during the election period that started yesterday and will end on June 8.

Acting Laguna Police Provincial Office Director Col. Rogarth Campo led the putting up of 50 Comelec checkpoints and deployment hubs in different areas in Laguna.

The checkpoints were co-established with the existing Quarantine and Border Control Points while the province is under Alert level 3 to ensure minimum public health standard protocols are observed.

Prior to the election period, the Laguna PNP has already prepared measures that will ensure a peaceful conduct of election in the province.

Last January 6, it has launched simulation exercises on the conduct of the Comelec checkpoint province-wide, established red teaming operations to regularly validate the readiness and proper conduct of police operations in its police stations and mobile force companies, and activated its Election Monitoring Action Centers in the provincial level down to the City and Municipal Police Stations for the timely monitoring of all election-related incidents, deployment, and other pertinent election operational activities for the upcoming May polls.

The PNP has suspended the validity of all Permits to Carry Firearms Outside of Residence issued to licensed firearm holders and members of government law enforcement agencies for the entire duration of the election period.

Also, the permits issued by the PNP to transport firearms, ammunitions, explosives, public firearms display and exhibits, as well as employment of security personnel for VIPs are suspended.

Only the regular members of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other law enforcement agencies of the government, who are in complete uniform and while on official duty, are the persons allowed to bear firearms for the entire duration of the election period.

CIVILIAN NABBED FOR CARRYING GUN

In Sta. Maria, Laguna, police on Sunday morning arrested a civilian for carrying a gun without proper documents.

The Laguna top cop identified the arrested suspect as Alejandro Morales Tampis, a resident of Sta. Maria town.

Tampis was flagged down at a Comelec checkpoint in Bgy. J.P. Rizal St.. He was arrested after he failed to present necessary documents for the cal. 38 pistol found from his possession.

The suspect is in the custody of the Sta. Maria police, facing charges for violation of the Omnibus Election Code. By Jane Eleda and Gil Aman