Palace assures strict implementation of gun ban as election period starts Sunday

The Malacañang Palace (Facebook photo)

MANILA – Malacañang on Sunday underscored the need to implement strictly the gun ban as the 151-day election period kicked off on Sunday.

“One important aspect in the preparation for the peaceful and orderly election is the implementation of gun ban,” Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a Radyo ng Bayan interview.

Coloma cited the strict implementation of the gun ban that resulted in the successful conduct of the mid-term elections in 2013.

“The prevention in the misuse or illegal use of firearms is one of the most effective way to assure the safety of the public and orderly election,” Coloma said.

“That’s why our Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines will rigorously deputized the Comelec to assure orderly election in our country,” he added.

January 10 marks the start of the 151 election period for May 9 national and local elections and also the beginning of the nationwide gun ban and other election-related bans.

Police and Commission on Elections checkpoints will be put in the strategic places to prevent people carrying or transporting firearms or deadly weapons from January 10 to June 8, 2016.

According to the Comelec, all permits to carry firearms will be suspended but exemption will be given to those have been issued with Certificate of Authority.