ARMM PNP seizes 24 firearms, ammunitions without Comelec exemption

Elements of different Provincial and Municipal Police Office under PRO ARMM including its Regional and Provincial Mobile Groups since the start of the election period have intensified its campaign through joint PNP and COMELEC Checkpoints on the implementation of COMELEC GUN BAN and confiscated a total of 24 assorted types of firearms and ammunitions from firearms’ holder with no COMELEC exemption.

Cases have already been filed against those suspects who were apprehended while other firearms were recovered left abandoned on PUVs. However, no security personnel to VIPs have been apprehended since the start of the Election period for the reasons that those security personnel either possessed COMELEC exemption or VIPs tend not to travel without their security personnel.

Since election period starts, ARMM is relatively peaceful with no election-related violent incident transpired. Probable election watched areas in ARMM were already identified based on the parameters set by the COMELEC with 29 barangays considered Election Areas of Immediate Concern [EAIC] and more than 400 barangays considered Election Areas of Concern [EAC] which are largely attributed to the intense political rivalries, presence of Partisan Armed Groups, presence of ASG, MBG and other threat groups in the area, and occurrence of election-related violent incidents during the previous elections. These areas are mostly located in Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Shariff Kabunsuan.

On the other hand, our Regional/Provincial/Municipal Election Monitoring and Assistance Center [REMAC/PEMAC/MEMAC] were already established with investigation, security and intelligence personnel tasked to monitor and take proper actions on all election related incidents and activities.

Meanwhile, our Office is processing documents for Local Absentee Voting of our personnel who are duly registered voters and will be temporarily assigned to other province or municipalities with in ARMM to perform election duties on Election Day. We are fast-tracking the documents to be submitted not later than March 14, 2007 to the COMELEC in order for our personnel to vote for Senators and Party-list Representatives anytime from April 28 – 30, 2007. (PRESS RELEASE from BPI ARMM/Police Chief Superintendent Joel Rudio Goltiao, CSEE)