Wednesday, January 24, 2007 Poll body exempts Pacquiao from gun ban
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday has excused Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao from the gun prohibition.
Comelec Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer said it is obvious that Pacquiao needs protection as well as his family because of the winnings he was able to garner during his recent fight to Mexican boxer Erik Morales and from previous bouts.
“I approved it by myself,” Ferrer told reporters at the sidelines of the meeting between the Comelec, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Justice (DOJ).
He said Pacquiao, being a high-profile” personality and “living in a troubled area”, is enough reason to approve his 20 applications for exemption from the gun ban.
Reports earlier said Pacquiao and his family are the targets of kidnappers.
Aside from Pacquaio, certain known personalities are seeking exemption from the gun ban but he declined to give their names.
The gun ban took effect last January 15 when the election period starts.
“There are some high profile personalities like the son of a mayor from Metro Manila wherein we denied his application because he put as justification that he is a councilor,” Ferrer said.
As of Tuesday, Ferrer said they have received about 17,000 applications for gun ban exemption and 6,000 have been approved, belonging mostly to police and military personnel while 700 to 1,000 applications were rejected.
On the other hand, Ferrer said there is no need for the applicants to be physically present when submitting their application as long as they comply with the documentary requirements and accomplished the forms.
He said two personnel from the PNP and two others from the Armed Forces evaluate the applications, which are then submitted to his office for final approval. (MSN/Sunnex)
