Comelec wants gun ban during barangay, SK polls

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) wants a gun ban imposed during the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on Oct. 25.

Speaking to reporters, Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said they will recommend a gun ban during a meeting with police, military and Department of Education (DepEd) officials.

“We got feedbacks that they (PNP and AFP) are also for total gun ban because of what happened in the May 2010 elections,” he said.

“There was less violence compared to the 2004 elections.”

In the last elections, the Comelec banned private citizens and politicians from carrying firearms outside their homes.

However, the poll body allowed police, military and security personnel to carry guns but only while on duty and in proper uniform.

Meanwhile, the Comelec has already completed the composition of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) which will supervise the procurement of election paraphernalia.

The BAC is comprised of Comelec Law Department Director Ferdinand Rafanan as chairman; Comelec-National Capital Region director Michael Dioneda as vice-chairman; and director Rey Doma of the Administrative Services Department, lawyer Efraim Bag-id of the Law Department, and Aida Fernandez, Information Technology Officer III at the Data Processing Division-Finance Department as members.

On the other hand, Larrazabal said the Oct. 2 special elections in some parts of Bulacan, Basilan and Lanao del Sur might again be postponed.

The Comelec has not set a date for the special polls but it is set to come out with a resolution on this soon, he added.

The special polls involve the congressional post for the first district of Bulacan, the positions of board members in Basilan and some municipal elective posts in certain areas in Lanao del Sur.