Comelec exempts 8,000 politicians from gun ban

The Commission on Elections granted gun ban exemptions to at least 8,000 politicians, GMANews.TV learned on Saturday from Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer. Ferrer said almost 50,000 individuals lodged their applications to carry guns during the election season. But he said the number of applicants who got Comelec's nod, especially in the high risk category, was lower this year than during the May 2004 elections. “I don’t have the figures but from what I remember it's lower this time than the previous elections," Ferrer said. Ferrer refused to answer when he was asked to name the politicians who got the exemptions. Earlier, he said Comelec granted 20 gun ban exemptions to boxing champ Manny Pacquiao who is gunning for a congressional post in General Santos City. He said exemption applications from local politicians were greater than from national politicians But their applications were denied because of their failure to show proof that they were at high risk. “There are areas which we found... are not lawless, so we denied the applications... (if they are) high risk they have to attach to their applications the proof of the threats to their lives and these (should be based on) police blotters, we don’t just grant exemptions without the evidence to prove their claims," Ferrer said. Ferrer said about 30,000 gun ban applications were approved while 10,000 were denied. Ferrer said politicians, the police and the military had the highest number of applications for gun ban exemptions. Sources from the Comelec said the poll body starting on January 15, received a daily average of 500 applications for exemption. The gun ban order took effect last January 14 and is to be observed until June 30. -GMANews.TV