Poll gun ban, filing of COCs start today

ALL election offices in the 51 towns and cities under Cebu Province will open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today for the first day of the filing of candidacies for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) election next month.

This, as the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 also starts today the implementation of the elections gun ban.

Election offices in the Province will start accepting certificates of candidacy (COC) for a week from aspiring candidates.

Lawyer Ferdinand Gujilde, Cebu Provincial election officer, advised aspiring candidates that once they file their COC before their local elections office, they are prevented from campaigning until the formal campaign period.

The campaign period is on May 9 to May 12.

Premature campaigning

Gujilde said that unlike the national and local elections, which allow premature campaigning, the barangay and SK elections won’t allow it.

Though premature campaigning is no longer allowed, it doesn’t mean that aspiring candidates can have a little fanfare before the filing of their COCs.

Gujilde said they won’t prohibit any fanfare before the filing of their COCs in any local election office.

“They are still allowed to that but once they file their COCs, that’s when the fanfare stops,” Gujilde said.

He also reminded local officials to avoid accompanying any aspiring candidate during the filing of the COCs out of propriety.

Gujilde reminded aspiring candidates that the barangay and SK elections is non-partisan.

Aspiring candidates are advised to bring their prescribed and notarized COC form with a recent passport size photo.

Optional

They can also provide their biodata and a 100-word document of their program of government in their COCs, but Gujilde clarified that this requirement is optional.

Security will also be tight in election offices in Cebu to secure aspiring candidates and those seeking reelection.

Gujilde said that police personnel will be present at the local election offices to ensure that violence won’t occur between opposing candidates.

At the PRO 7, Chief Supt. Robert Quenery said that they are now monitoring some areas, especially in Negros Oriental, which is known to be a hotspot of the New People’s Army.

“We are assessing areas which would be of concerned for us particularly in the peace and order situation. I directed unit commanders to submit their areas of concern. We await the filing of candidacy then that’s the time we can try to have a clearer picture on the situation come election day,” Quenery said.

As of now, Quenery said that they have not received reports of possible attacks, but they are not letting their guards down.

For the gun ban, the PRO 7 director said that even police officers need to secure a certificate for them to be able to carry their firearms.

Exemption

For security guards, Quenery said that as long as they are wearing uniforms and that they are in their posts, they can carry their firearm.

“However, they have to still apply for an exemption,” the regional director clarified.

Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Director Senior Supt. Joel Doria said that with the gun ban, there will be also the checkpoints and motorstops to be conducted around the city starting today.

Doria appealed to motorists to always bring their license and other documents for a smooth passage on the streets during a checkpoint.

“Please cooperate so that there won’t be any delay because our police officers know the procedure. They will only inspect in plain view,” Doria said.

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