The Commission on Election (COMELEC) has recently published a resolution announcing a nationwide gun ban that will take effect on January 9 until June 8 next year, the election period for May 9 2022 general election.
In Resolution No. 10728, the poll body said the bearing, carrying, and transporting of firearms and other deadly weapons are prohibited during the period.
“No person shall employ, avail him/herself or engage the services of security personnel or bodyguards, whether or not such security personnel or bodyguards are regular members or officers of the PNP, AFP, other law enforcement agencies of the government or from a private security service provider unless authorized by the Commission, through the Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns (CBFSC),” the resolution read.
Those who were able to secure a certificate of authority (CA) issued by the CBFSC are exempted from the ban.
However, the following “high-risk” officials will retain their security detail:
President
Vice President
Senate President
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Secretary of national defense; secretary of the interior and local government
Chairman and commissioners of the Comelec
Chief of staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines; AFP major service commanders
PNP chief and senior officers of the PNP
Also included are investigators and prosecutors of the Office of the Ombudsman, Cabinet secretaries, chairperson and commissioners of the Commission on Audit and Civil Service Commission, Secretary, undersecretaries, assistant secretaries, prosecutor general, and prosecutors of the DOJ, solicitor-general and chief public attorney.
January 9 marks the beginning of the election period for the 2022 national and local polls. It is also the start of the nationwide gun ban and other election-related bans.
COMELEC issues a nationwide gun ban every election and asks for the public’s patience and cooperation for secure, fair and orderly elections on May 2022.