AT least 216 individuals, including two soldiers and an elected government official, have been arrested for violation of the gun ban that took effect last Thursday in connection with the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on October 30.
A report coming from PNP spokeswoman and acting PNP Public Information Office chief Col. Jean Fajardo also showed that 130 firearms have been seized.
One of the military personnel who violated the gun ban was arrested in Calabarzon while the other was nabbed in Eastern Visayas. The elected government official was arrested in Eastern Visayas.
The National Capital Region led all regions in the number of arrested gun ban violators with 64, the PNP report said.
Forty-six were arrested in Central Luzon, 22 in Central Visayas, 18 in Calabarzon, 10 each in the Cagayan Valley and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao; seven each in Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Northern Mindanao; five in Davao, four in Bicol, three in Mimaropa, two each in Ilocos and Caraga, and one each in Soccsksargen and Cordillera Administrative Region.
The top three regions in terms of firearms seized were Central Luzon (37), NCR (25) and Central Visayas (16).
The gun ban, implemented last Thursday at the start of the election period, will end on November 29 when the 90-day election period ends.
The PNP, augmented by the military, has put up checkpoints to enforce the election gun ban and ensure the security of the elections.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) prohibits carrying and transporting firearms and other deadly weapons in public places, including any building, street, park, private vehicle or public conveyance during the election period.
Deputized law enforcers who are in full uniform and performing election-related duties are exempted from the gun ban. Also exempted are gun holders who have secured authorization from the Comelec Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns.
Persons found guilty of violating the gun ban face imprisonment of up to six years, permanent disqualification from public office and loss of the right to vote.
If the violator is a foreigner, he or she will be deported after the prison term is served.
DQ CASES
Admitting it cannot immediately screen members of political dynasties, the Comelec yesterday urged candidates to file disqualification cases against their rivals in the Sangguniang Kabataan polls if they know they have relatives who are elected officials.
In a radio interview, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said they are banking on the vigilance of the SK candidates in thwarting the furtherance of political dynasties.
“We welcome the filing of disqualification cases by their rivals or any interested parties against those who are relatives of incumbent national or local officials,” said Garcia.
He said it would be difficult for local poll offices to immediately determine if the one filing the Certificate of Candidacy (COC) is part of a political dynasty or not.
“We are left with no choice but to accept the COC as the local Comelec offices have no information if they have elected relatives,” explained Garcia.
Under the SK Reform Act of 2015, one qualification of an SK bet is they “must not be related within the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to any incumbent elected national official or to any incumbent elected regional, provincial, city, municipal, or barangay official, in the locality where he or she seeks to be elected.”
According to the Commission, included up to the second civil degree of consanguinity are parents, children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren.
The Comelec said parents-in-law, siblings-in-law, grandparents-in-law, and grandchildren-in-law are all within the second civil degree of affinity.
The COC filing period for the October 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) will be from August 28 to September 2.
Based on the partial consolidated report released by the Comelec, at least 1,316,265 COCs have filed so far.
Nearly two in every three candidates were males with 861,171 (65%), while female candidates’ number is 455,094 (34%).
Among the applicants were 92,173 who aspire to be barangay chairpersons and 690,531 looking to be barangay council members.
The Comelec also said there were 85,816 applicants for SK chairperson and 447,745, who are looking to be SK council members.
The numbers, however, do not include those from La Union, Aurora, Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor, Zamboanga Sibugay, Sultan Kudarat, and Lanao del Sur as they have yet to send their reports.
The COC filing has been extended in the National Capital Region, Abra, and Ilocos Norte after the interruptions caused by the inclement weather.
BETS REMINDED
The Archdiocese of Cebu-Commission on Youth yesterday reminded officials of different organizations under it that they must go on leave if they are running in the October 30 Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls.
Based on Memorandum Circular No. 03 – 2023, Cebu Archdiocesan Youth Director Fr. Andrei Ventanilla said it is imperative for youth leaders seeking SK posts to take a leave when the campaign period starts.
“Any council officer, who seeks government office, must observe a mandatory leave from office during the election campaign period, that is from October 19-28, 2023,” said Ventanilla.
In the event that they are successfully elected during the SK polls, the priest said they are mandated to quit their posts in the youth organizations.
“(If) elected in a government office, he or she is required to resign from his or her council position, but may still continue to be a member of the council,” said Ventanilla.
“These guidelines are our way of preventing them from having conflicts of interest, thus, giving them an avenue to focus on their role as public servant-leaders, who will serve God by serving their country through their own localities,” Ventanilla said. — With Gerard Naval
