Comelec

Group urges Palace to certify gun control bills

By Alcuin Papa

Philippine Daily Inquirer

First Posted 08:40:00 02/12/2011

Filed Under: Legislation, Benigno Aquino III, comelec, RP peace process

MANILA, Philippines—Civic and religious groups led by three former senators and bishops are urging the President to certify as urgent a gun control bill to stem the rising incidence of crimes in the streets.

In a signed statement, the group calling itself Mga Tagatulak ng Kapayapaan (Peace Movers) called on President Aquino to consolidate two gun control bills pending in the House of Representatives and the Senate into one measure and certify it as urgent. The group sent a letter through Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma.

The October 2010 crime figures from the PROGUN Crime Statistics Project are now available.

As you can see, there was a slight upsurge in incidents and fatalities during the Barangay Election gun ban. The difference isn't statistically significant but it is interesting to note that there was no definite decrease in violent crime.

Today marks the Barangay Elections of 2010. It also marks the one month period since the latest Comelec Gun latest gun ban has been implemented. Practically 99.9% of all citizens, including gun owners, do not have anything to do with the barangay elections. The streets are plastered with nameless faces and people we never even met or know. Very few of us are directly involved in these elections, as in any other election. Frankly, most of us couldn't care less who would win or lose. And yet, we the gun owners and ordinary citizens bear the brunt of the oppressive rules such as the gun ban. For this current barangay election, all of us (not just candidates) are restricted from carrying our firearms outside of our residence for the period of one month prior to the elections and for 15 days thereafter or a total period of 45 days.

Please be informed that due to the upcoming Synchronized Sagunniang Kabataan and Barangay elections on 25 October 2010, there will be a Comelec Gun Ban this 25 September to 10 November 2010. 

The official Comelec Announcement can be read here:

http://www.comelec.gov.ph/2010%20Barangay_SK/resolutions/res_9019.html

As per PNP Circular, all PTCFOR's and PTT's are automatically suspended during this period. However, for further reading and information on the legal effect of the Comelec Gun Ban on illegal possession o firearms, read this: 

http://progun.ph/content/no-jail-time-violation-comelec-gun-ban

There is much talk now about the proposal to extend the Comelec gun ban or make it permanent. This began with the statement of Gen. Jesus Verzosa, the Chief PNP, that due to the perceived effectiveness of the total gun ban during the comelec campaign period and the alleged low incidence of crime during this period, there is a supposed "clamor" for the gun ban to be made permanent.

On April 5th, we heard from fallujah that the PNP plans to permanently stop issuing permits to carry firearms (PTCFOR). The reason, according to PNP Chief Verzosa, is that they found the total gun ban during the elections to be an effective crime deterrent.

Now we hear from Comelec that the 2010 elections are turning out to be the most violent. What does this do to Chief Verzosa's credibility on anything he says about gun control? Of course, I don't need to answer that question; any thinking person can form his or her own conclusion.

In spite of the best efforts at imposing a total gun ban, it would seem that the efforts at curbing election related violence have been proven to be a failure. As per the statistics, election related killings and violence has been steadily on the rise since 2001, in spite of the Comelec Gun Ban. The current figures of deaths since 1992 as gathered from the PNP and Inquirer files are that a total of 537 have been killed in election related violence since 1992 up to 2007.