Checkpoints to be set up in each city

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) ordered yesterday the establishment of checkpoints in each of the country’s 135 cities and 1,493 municipalities in preparation for the start of the election period on Jan. 13.

In Resolution No. 9588, the Comelec said the checkpoints are needed to monitor the gun ban that will be implemented during the 120-day election period that will end on June 12.

The Comelec has allowed the military or the police to set up more than one checkpoint in a locality “when circumstances warrant.” The election officers (EOs), however, must be notified about this.

Under the resolution, the checkpoints must have signboards measuring three by four feet, bearing the names and addresses of the EOs and commanding officers, and must be labeled on both sides in bold letters on a white background.

The poll body said the military or police personnel manning the checkpoints must be in complete uniform and shall not be under the influence of drugs or liquor.

The poll body has listed the agencies that are exempted from the gun ban, but since there is no blanket exemption, personnel of these agencies must still apply for exemption for accounting purposes.

These agencies include those from the Internal Security of the Offices of the Vice President; Secretary of the Interior and Local Government; and National Defense; state, regional, provincial, and city prosecutors of the Department of Justice; Internal Security Division of the Bureau of Treasury; and agents of the Bureau of Corrections.

Others are the Philippine National Police; Armed Forces of the Philippines; National Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Jail Management and Penology; Intelligence, Investigation and Customs Police Divisions of the Bureau of Customs; Philippine Ports Authority; Philippine Economic Zone Authority police forces; government guard forces; investigation and intelligence divisions of the Bureau of Immigration; Manila International Airport Authority police force; Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority police force; and Land Transportation Office Law Enforcement Service.

The Philippine Coast Guard; Cebu Port Authority police force; Internal Security Operations Group of the Department of Justice Witness Protection Program; Optical Media Board; Security Investigation and Transport Department, and Cash Department of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas; Offices of the Sergeant-At-Arms of the Senate and House of Representatives; Inspection Service of the Philippine Postal Corp.; members of the Comelec; National Police Commission; forest/park rangers of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources; Office of the Secretary of Department of Foreign Affairs; Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency; Philippine Center for Transnational Crime; National Intelligence Coordinating Agency; Presidential Security Group; and Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Units.

Others are the members of privately owned security or protective agencies; justices of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, Court of Tax Appeal, and judges of the regional trial courts, and municipal trial courts; and security personnel of accredited foreign diplomatic corps and establishments.

The Comelec mandates that only concerned personnel who are on duty and wearing the proper uniform may carry firearms.

Violation of the gun ban is considered an election offense punishable with one to six years imprisonment, disqualification to hold public office, and suspension of the right to vote.