ILOILO CITY -- Police Regional Office 6 (Western Visayas) is ready for the implementation of the gun ban in line with the May 14 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.
Chief Insp. Joem Malong, in an interview Thursday, said the gun ban would start on April 14 and end on May 21. She stressed that all permits to carry firearms outside of residence (PTCFOR) are suspended.
Only members of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other law enforcement agencies who are performing official duties would be allowed to carry firearms, Malong said.
Those who have sought exemption from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will also be allowed.
“We are appealing to the public to really cooperate with us,” she said.
Violators will be charged with violating the Comelec resolution on the gun ban and firearm law that carry the penalty of imprisonment and a certain amount of fine.
Malong said checkpoints would be established in strategic areas to ensure that no one violates the gun ban.
The official launch of the checkpoint will be on Friday.
She said legitimate checkpoints are those with official signage and would be manned by the chief of police or team leader of the checkpoint in a certain town or city, the election officer from the poll body, and other uniformed personnel.
"These checkpoints will only conduct visual search and they will be asking few questions," she said, adding that further search would be conducted on suspicious vehicles.
Meanwhile, Malong assured that PRO 6 is now ready to secure peace and order throughout the election period.
She said they have already signed a memorandum of agreement with Comelec-6 and the Armed Forces of the Philippines for the joint security deployment for the local polls, as well as the activation of the PRO-6 Regional Election Monitoring Action Center to monitor and synchronize the activities of the different tasked units.
She said PRO-6 regional director, Chief Supt. Cesar Hawthorne Binag has assured enough personnel to be deployed to secure the polling precincts. (PNA)
