Total gun ban sought around polls

THREE groups have called on the Commission on Elections to impose a total gun ban during next year’s election period.

In a letter to the Comelec on Friday, the Gunless Society, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and Physicians for Peace asked the poll body to adopt a new policy of not granting exemptions from the gun ban, except to members of the police, military and other law enforcement agencies of the government.

The law enforcers to be exempted must be duly deputized in writing by the Comelec for election duty and authorized to carry firearms while in uniform during the election period, as provided by law, they said.

“The gun ban is meaningless when many categories of civilians and candidates are exempted. The new gun ban policy should be approved as early as possible in order to warn those who feel threatened to think twice before filing their certificates of candidacy,” said the letter signed by Gunless Society president Nandy Pacheco, PPCRV chair Henrietta de Villa and Physicians for Peace chair Dr. Teodoro Herbosa.

The poll body usually imposes a gun ban during the election period but grants exemptions to government officials, VIPs and candidates who claim to have threats to their security.

Pacheco, De Villa and Herbosa opposed giving gun-ban exemptions to candidates, saying, “Campaigning with armed bodyguards is not healthy, sows fear among voters and is not a good example. Candidates who are afraid to die are not fit to serve.”

Pacheco, De Villa and Herbosa said exemptions from the gun ban should be limited to the security details of the President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House and Chief Justice provided the security personnel are in uniform and on duty.

The three also expressed hope that Philippine National Police Director General Ricardo C. Marquez would be in favor of a total gun ban during the election period. Jerome Aning