Tuesday, October 30, 2007

PRO-7: 16 persons violate election gun ban

Cebu City (25 October) -- Sixteen people have already been apprehended in the region by the police since the election gun ban took effect last September 29.

Police Regional Office (PRO-7) Community Relations Chief S/Supt. Alexander Abadinas bared that out of the 16 apprehensions, 10 violations were committed in Cebu as police strengthen its series of checkpoints to rigidly implement the gun ban.

The nationwide firearms ban during the election period started September 29 until November 13.

Under the election gun ban, Resolution 8298 promulgated by the Commission on Election (Comelec) states that "no person, including those possessing a permit to carry firearms outside of residence or place of business, shall bear, carry or transport firearms or other deadly weapons in public places including all public buildings, streets, parks, and private vehicles or public conveyances."

Firearms include airgun, side arms, long firearms, hand grenades and other deadly explosives except pyrotechnics, while deadly weapons include bladed instruments.

The police are now in the last minute stages of preparations to ensure that the coming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls will be clean, honest, orderly and peaceful.

There are 46 barangays out of the over 1,200 barangays in Cebu that have been identified as "areas of immediate concern" (AIC) that will be in need of maximum security in the coming polls this Monday.

The figure was bared after the command conference among the PRO-7, Comelec-7 and the Central Command. Top officials from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG-7) and the Department of Education (Dep Ed -7) also attended the meeting.

The 46 barangays are located in the cities of Danao and Bogo and in 10 municipalities namely Borbon, Asturias, Catmon, San Remegio, Tabuelan, Compostela, Pinamungahan, Tuburan, Carmen and Sogod.

Sixty-two other barangays are dubbed as "areas of concern," (AOC) three of which are located in Cebu City which are Pasil, Lahug and Ermita.

More police and military personnel will be deployed in the areas identified as AIC and AOC, this is learned.

Abadinas said that it is also part of their advocacy to call on the electorate to vote candidates who are sincere in helping the government amid a disclosure made by CentCom's 78th IB Commanding Officer Col. Raymundo BaƱares that there are candidates in the mid-north area in Cebu that are being backed by communist rebels. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)

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