This file photo shows shop employees arranging rifles for sale at a gun show in Manila, on July 15, 2010. There …Carrying firearms and deadly weapons will be
prohibited nationwide starting Jan. 13 as the Philippines enters the
official election period, a Commission on Elections resolution showed.
The
gun ban also comes as a debate on stricter gun control gains national
attention amid deaths due to stray bullets during the New Year revelry
and a deadly shooting spree in Cavite.
Related story: Gruesome Cavite shooting spree
From Jan. 13 to June 12,
2013, "no person shall bear, carry or transport firearms or other deadly
weapons outside his residence or place of business, and in public
places... even if licensed to possess or to carry the same," Comelec
said.
Resolution No. 9561-A issued Dec. 4 added that the ban
covers "airguns, airsoft guns, and replicas/imitations of firearms in
whatever form that can cause an ordinary person to believe that they are
real."
Deadly weapons such as bladed instruments, hand grenades or other explosives except pyrotechnics will also be prohibited.
Allowed
to carry firearms during the election period, however, are officers and
members of the Philippine National Police, Armed Force, and agents of
law enforcement or government security agencies.
Candidates
running in the 2013 polls are also prohibited from enlisting bodyguards
including members of the PNP or AFP, unless warranted and assigned
security detail by the Comelec.
The resolution is based on
Section 261 (q) of the Omnibus Election Code which identifies carrying
firearms during election period as an "election offense."
The
measure is seen to curb violence during the election period which is
historically marred by bloody clashes among clashing candidates.
The
government has earlier identified high-risk areas for the May 2013
polls with history of election-related violence, private armies, running
family feuds as well as rebel and criminal groups.
Related story: Stephanie's death triggers gun debate
The
election-prompted gun control measure will also be implemented amid a
mounting debate sparked by the death of two victims--a 7-year-old girl
and a 4-year-old boy--hit by stray bullets during New Year's Eve
celebrations.
Further fanning outrage over irresponsible gun use,
meanwhile, is a shooting spree which killed and injured bystanders and
markets vendors in Kawit, Cavite Friday.
Calls have been made for
total gun bans not only during election season but also during the
holidays, while officials are pushing for stricter implementation of
existing rules.
Authorities' failure to seize illegal firearms are also being blamed for rising violence involving guns.
Police
estimate that about 600,000 locally circulated firearms are without
license last year even as 1.2 million firearms have been registered,
reports said.
