PNP gears up for Barangay and SK poll gun ban

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is preparing for the gun ban in line with the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) election this May, authorities said on Monday.

PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. John Bulalacao said the PNP-Directorate for Operations (DO) is already drafting the command memorandum circular while waiting for the latest guidelines from the Commission Elections (Comelec) regarding the gun ban.

“[It is] expected na magkaroon ng gun ban kaya lang (to have a gun ban but) we are still waiting for the guidelines from the Comelec,” Bulalacao said in a press briefing.

“But the Directorate for Operations is already coming out with the command memorandum circular at hindi pa nila ma-finalize yon (it will not be finalized) with the absence of the latest guidelines of the Comelec,” he added.

After two postponements, the Barangay and SK election will finally be held on May 14.

The election period will run from April 14 to May 21, 2018, and the gun ban will be in effect during this period.

Meanwhile, the PNP-Directorate for Intelligence has yet to meet and come up with the list of this year’s election hotspots. It will also be finalized once the Comelec issues its latest guidelines.             /kga