PNP wants total gun ban in next year's polls

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police (PNP) has moved for the scrapping of the government policy on gun ban exemption during the campaign and election period for next year's elections. Chief Superintendent Josefino Cataluna, chief of the PNP-Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG), said their target is for a total gun ban during the election period. “The plan of the chief PNP [Director General Jesus Verzosa] is to request [Commission on Elections] that there will be no more gun ban exemptions," Cataluna said. Cataluna noted that despite the gun ban, violence still occurred in past elections and some of them involved rival candidates and their security personnel, who were covered by the gun ban exemption. He also said they had proposed to the Comelec to allow only the policemen, soldiers and security guards who are in proper uniform to carry guns during the campaign and election period. “Even PNP and other law enforcement and even the Armed Forces. Only those in duty and in proper uniforms are allowed to carry firearms," he said. - GMANews.TV