As Comelec election gun ban took effect Sunday, January 10, 2010, at least 18 people in the greater Metro Manila area were arrested during the first burst of the implementation. This is an indication that the government is not joking. Police Director Verosa said, this is to show that the PNP and AFP meant business to protect the people from being harassed during the election day. The ban will last for a period of 6 months, and addedly the purpose of which is to ensure an orderly and peaceful elections in May, this year.
Those arrested included policemen, lawyers, government personnel, navy enlisted man, retired military officers who were caught red handed with their firearms, covered with permits to carry outside residences, confiscated either inside their vehicles and/or tucked in their waists. No criminal element arrested? Those arrested claimed they were not aware the election gun ban has took already effect. Dir. Verzosa said in a statement that all permit to carry outside residences are deemed automatically revoked with the gun ban took effect the same day.
Those arrested will face criminal charges for violating the Omnibus Election Code which imposes a penalty of 1 to up to 6 years imprisonment without probation, disqualification from holding public office, and or right to suffrage and deportation of foreigners if found guilty of the charges.
Our apprehensions however is that while Verzosa’s success is only confined within the greater Manila area where uniformed police and armed forces just littered within its major thoroughfares, what about in the provinces? In this city, for example. In this city in particular, where police visibility is even a problem because of its scarcity. How could the community cope up the needs to secure our people. In this city where a ratio of 1 police as against 1000 residents is even a problem, how sure Dir. Verzosa can protect our citizens?
Just very recently in a month time there were already 3 or 4 people killed through assassin’s bullets and the suspects being described only by the police as “riding in tandem.” Of the many killing incidents in this city this week, not one suspect was neither arrested nor identified even by the police, how could Dir. Verzosa dare say this year’s election could be peaceful and orderly? Apart from the government’s failure to dismantle the private armies?
For Dir Verzosa to succeed, must not take pride only with the arrest and apprehensions of the innocent civilians, nevertheless must wage more punitive actions against armed and dreaded criminals who are right now lurking within our immediate premises. These scot free criminals are indeed the real threats to the civilians security. Dir Verzosa must bring the police action to where the criminals are.
EAGLE'S EYE COLUMN
By Vic G. del Pilar
EMAIL: delpilarvic@gmail.com
Those arrested included policemen, lawyers, government personnel, navy enlisted man, retired military officers who were caught red handed with their firearms, covered with permits to carry outside residences, confiscated either inside their vehicles and/or tucked in their waists. No criminal element arrested? Those arrested claimed they were not aware the election gun ban has took already effect. Dir. Verzosa said in a statement that all permit to carry outside residences are deemed automatically revoked with the gun ban took effect the same day.
Those arrested will face criminal charges for violating the Omnibus Election Code which imposes a penalty of 1 to up to 6 years imprisonment without probation, disqualification from holding public office, and or right to suffrage and deportation of foreigners if found guilty of the charges.
Our apprehensions however is that while Verzosa’s success is only confined within the greater Manila area where uniformed police and armed forces just littered within its major thoroughfares, what about in the provinces? In this city, for example. In this city in particular, where police visibility is even a problem because of its scarcity. How could the community cope up the needs to secure our people. In this city where a ratio of 1 police as against 1000 residents is even a problem, how sure Dir. Verzosa can protect our citizens?
Just very recently in a month time there were already 3 or 4 people killed through assassin’s bullets and the suspects being described only by the police as “riding in tandem.” Of the many killing incidents in this city this week, not one suspect was neither arrested nor identified even by the police, how could Dir. Verzosa dare say this year’s election could be peaceful and orderly? Apart from the government’s failure to dismantle the private armies?
For Dir Verzosa to succeed, must not take pride only with the arrest and apprehensions of the innocent civilians, nevertheless must wage more punitive actions against armed and dreaded criminals who are right now lurking within our immediate premises. These scot free criminals are indeed the real threats to the civilians security. Dir Verzosa must bring the police action to where the criminals are.
EAGLE'S EYE COLUMN
By Vic G. del Pilar
EMAIL: delpilarvic@gmail.com