‘Journalists ineligible for gun ban exemption’

(Updated 11:48 a.m.) Media groups and practitioners will not be eligible for exemption from the ongoing nationwide implementation of the gun ban in time for the May automated polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) stressed Monday. Comelec legal department head Ferdinand Rafanan advised media groups and practitioners instead to ask the Philippine National Police (PNP) for security if they feel they are under threat. "Ang media hindi kasali sa listahan ng exempted, maliban na lang kung maglabas ng ibang resolution ang Commission en banc, pero palagay ko hindi na (The media is not in the list of parties exempted from the gun ban, unless the Commission comes out with an en banc resolution to the effect. But the chances of such a resolution are very slim)," Rafanan said in an interview on dzBB radio. The Comelec's gun ban for the May 2010 elections went into effect Sunday, with the PNP claiming that at least 18 violators were arrested on the first day. An updated report said the number has increased to 47.
Rafanan said those who can seek exemption from the gun ban include police personnel, soldiers, National Bureau of Investigation agents, and even Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) members. On the other hand, he said media practitioners who feel they are under threat should ask the PNP for security. "Mag-apply na lang sila for security (It will be better if they apply for security)," he said. The Comelec issued Resolution 1814, which bans candidates and private individuals from carrying firearms and hiring bodyguards during the election period which will run from January 10 to June 9, 2010. More violations As the enforcement of the gun ban entered its second day, two men were arrested before dawn Monday for showing off their replica cal-.45 firearms in Pasig City. Radio dzBB's Sam Nielsen reported that Tristan de Castro, a voice talent; and Jonas Islaw, an artist, were arrested in San Joaquin village in Pasig City.
Seized from the two were an airsoft gun and a toy gun, both replicas of a cal-.45 pistol. The two were arrested following complaints from residents at the Pearl Plaza in Ortigas Center that the two were allegedly showing off their replica guns after coming from a party. Revoke EO 456 With the start of the election season, militants urged government to dismantle paramilitary groups, as these are the core of the problem of private armies being used by local politicians. The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said paramilitary groups already figured prominently in the November 23 Ampatuan town massacre, which stemmed from a political rivalry. Bayan called for the revocation of Executive Order 546, which allows the arming of civilians for the counter-insurgency campaign. Under EO 546, village (barangay) officials can be used as “force multipliers" in the government’s anti-insurgency campaign. “The most dangerous kind of private army is one that gets state-sponsorship. The Civilian Volunteers Organizations (CVOs) involved in the Ampatuan Massacre were armed because the state allowed them to be armed. Their weapons came from the government," said Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. Reyes added, “…unless President Gloria Arroyo dismantles all para-military groups and revokes EO 546, all talks of going after private armies will be empty rhetoric." The group also challenged the Zenarosa Commission tasked to dismantle private armies to “make the necessary recommendation to dismantle the paramilitary groups and revoke EO 546." - LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV