Aquino barred from joining shootfest during gun ban

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III can no longer join in target shooting contests, at least for the next five months, once the gun ban in preparation for the May midterm elections takes effect on Sunday.

Aquino is a known gun enthusiast as the Palace earlier confirmed that the President recently won a shooting contest participated by current and retired police generals.

“The wisdom of the gun ban dictates that shooting events should not be held anymore,” said Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rene Sarmiento.

Based on Comelec Resolution 9561 issued last year by the poll body, exempted from the ban are those from the Internal Security of the Offices of the Vice President; secretary of 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 in the list are members of the Philippine National Police, and the 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.

Also in the list are agents of 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 Corporation; members of the Comelec; National Police Commission; Forest/Park Rangers of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources; Office of the Secretary 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 (Cafgus).

Allowed also to carry firearms are 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.

Meanwhile, the commission en banc is now looking to amend its previous resolution on the firearms ban as they want to clarify numerous provisions before it is implemented.

At present, Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said there are already some 1,000 applicants for exemption to the ban, which will run until June 12. (HDT/Sunnex)