BACOLOD CITY — The Bacolod City Police has set up 10 checkpoints in line with the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.
Senior Insp. Armilyn Vargas, the public information officer of the city police, said on Saturday that the checkpoints will be randomly manned by personnel from each of the city’s 10 police stations.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has set the poll period from April 14 to May 21 for the elections slated on May 14.
At 12:01 a.m. Saturday, the firearms ban took effect and the setting up of checkpoints started.
Chief Supt. Cesar Binag, the director of the Police Regional Office 6 (Western Visayas), led the inspection of the simultaneous checkpoint operations of the Bacolod Police here past midnight Saturday, Vargas said.
During the election period, aside from guns, the public are also prohibited from carrying and transporting and other deadly weapons.
Availing of or engaging the services of security personnel or bodyguards will also be strictly prohibited, the Comelec added.
With the gun ban enforced, only regular members of the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other law enforcement agencies duly deputized in writing by the Comelec for election duty may be authorized to carry and possess firearms during the poll period.
The Comelec prescribed that “when in the possession of firearms, the deputized law enforcement officer must be in full uniform showing clearly and legibly his name, rank and serial number, which shall remain visible at all times, and in the actual performance of his election duty in the specific area designated by the Commission.” (PNA)
