Gun ban for SK poll starts Thursday

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will start enforcing the nationwide gun ban on Thursday, January 22, as the 45-day campaign period for the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) poll starts.

The gun ban will be in effect during the election period from Jan. 22 to March 2. Election Day is scheduled on Feb. 21.

However, House Majority Floor Leader Neptali Gonzales II yesterday that the agreement between the House of Representatives and the Senate to postpone the SK elections to 2016 has been reached.

But the Comelec is yet to receive a formal letter or advisory regarding the postponement.

“So we’re waiting to see how that turns out,” Commission on Elections spokesman James Jimenez.

In relation to the gun ban, the Comelec reminded law enforcers and security personnel to renew their Certificates of Authority/Gun Ban Exemptions.

Previously issued gun ban exemptions are revoked except the regular security complement of the president, vice president, senators, congressmen, governors and all local elective officials except barangay officials.

The exemption also applies to security of justices, judges, Cabinet secretaries, Comelec chairman and commissioners, Chief of Staff of the AFP, and PNP major service commanders, director generals and senior officers.

Chief Supt. Prudencio Bañas, director of the Police Regional Office (PRO-7), has already ordered his men to start conducting checkpoints today.

They have also conducted coordination meetings with the Comelec in preparation for the SK elections.

Banas said they will be checking areas where there is intense political rivalry so they can deploy more police personnel.

STOP VOTE-BUYING
Lionel Marco Castillano, Comelec provincial election supervisor, urged would-be candidates to prove that things can be different this time around.

He  challenged the youth to show that they want reformation.

“I’m tired of hearing stories about vote buying in huge amounts when it comes to SK elections in the barangay,” he said.

Castillano said that youth who aspire to be public servants must show the public and the government that SK still matters and that they, too, want change.

Castillano said he has heard stories of voters getting “kidnapped” and brought to resorts as a form of bribery, which he discouraged.

“Let’s get rid of the tradition of vote buying. On election day, don’t bicker with one another. Let’s say no to dirty politics,” he said.

The official said that the SK is a conducive training ground for corruption, a reason which many are against it.

“We are starting them young. That is why many people want to scrap SK because they believe corruption at such a young age is wrong,” said Castillano.

The SK has earned several other criticisms, including their alleged failure to deliver mandated tasks or their tendency to become “puppets” of politicians.

The election period starts today, Jan. 22, until March 2.

Eight slots will be open to all youth, aged 15 to 17, in each barangay, who may wish to become an SK chairperson or one of the seven councilors.

Comelec offices are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to accommodate the filing of certificates and other election-related concerns.