CAMPAIGN TRAIL

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday ordered the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to post one checkpoint each for the 135 cities and 1,493 municipalities nationwide in time for the election period this coming Sunday.

Based on Comelec Resolution 9588, the commission en banc said that the checkpoint is necessary for the effective implementation of the gun ban during the 120-day period.

“There shall be at least one Comelec checkpoint in each city/municipality,” the poll body said.
However, police and military authorities are given the choice to establish additional checkpoints “when circumstances warrant” but only upon giving notice to the concerned election officer.

The commission said that the checkpoints should have signboards measuring three by four feet, bears the names and address of the election officers and commanding officers and labeled on both sides in bold letters on a white background in order for the public to clearly identify it from a reasonable distance.

As for the military and police personnel manning the checkpoints, the Comelec said that they must be in complete uniform and shall not be under the influence of liquor/drug.

The gun ban is also set to begin on Sunday, January 13, which will cover everyone except for institutions identified earlier by the Comelec.

In the list for the 2013 exemption are those from the internal security from the offices of the vice president; secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government and national defense; state, regional, provincial and city prosecutors of the Department of Justice; Internal Security Division of the Bureau of Treasury; and agents of the Bureau of Corrections.

Others in the list provided in Comelec resolution are members of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines; National Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Jail Management and Penology; Intelligence, Investigation and Customs Police Divisions of the Bureau of Customs; Philippine Ports Authority; Philippine Economic Zone Authority police forces; government guard forces; Investigation and Intelligence Divisions of the Bureau of Immigration; Manila International Airport Authority police force; Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority police force; and Land Transportation Office Law Enforcement Service.

Also included are agents of the Philippine Coast Guard; Cebu Port Authority police force; Internal Security Operations Group of the Department of Justice Witness Protection Program; Optical Media Board; Security Investigation and Transport Department and Cash Department of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas; offices of the sergeant-at-arms of the Senate and House of Representatives; Inspection Service of the Philippine Postal Corp.; members of the Comelec; National Police Commission; forest/park rangers of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources; office of the secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs; Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency; Philippine Center for Transnational Crime; National Intelligence Coordinating Agency; Presidential security group; and Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Units.

Allowed also to carry firearms are members of privately owned security or protective agencies; justices of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals; Sandiganbayan; Court of Tax Appeal; and judges of the regional trial courts and municipal trial courts; and security personnel of accredited foreign diplomatic corps and establishments.

Under the Omnibus Election Code, it is considered an election offense for any person to carry firearms outside his residence or place of business during the election period.

An election offense carries a penalty of one to six years in prison, as well as suffers disqualification to hold public office and deprivation of the right to vote.