MANILA — A nationwide gun ban took effect Sunday in the Philippines to stave off any increase in political violence as elections draw closer, officials said.
Elections in the Philippines are almost always bloody, mainly because of the dominance of political dynasties, the presence of nearly 70 private armies and militias and the proliferation of what are called “loose firearms” — mostly unlicensed and unregistered weapons.
Though the elections are scheduled for May, there have already been reports of killings and attacks on candidates this year. Manuel Villar, a presidential candidate of the Nacionalista Party, said four of the party’s candidates for local office were killed in different areas in the first week of January.
The worst election-related violence happened even earlier, in November, when 57 people were killed on their way to register a candidate for governor in Maguindanao Province in the south.
The new gun ban calls for officials to establish more than 3,500 checkpoints — at least 90 of them in the capital, Manila — to be staffed by 100,000 soldiers and police officers.
Police officials said that 18 people had been arrested on Sunday for carrying firearms.
“Most of them said they were not aware that the gun ban was already in effect, but that is not an excuse,” said Leonardo Espina, a police spokesman. He said that charges would be filed against the violators.
Under the terms of the ban, civilians are not allowed to carry firearms outside of their homes, even if they are licensed. Only uniformed police officers or soldiers on duty are authorized to carry guns, and the law is so stringent that off-duty police officers who are in possession of firearms will be subject to arrest, Mr. Espina said. Three police officers, a navy enlisted man and a prison warden were among those detained Sunday, The Associated Press reported.
Politicians are prohibited from hiring bodyguards during the election period and possessing firearms as they campaign around the country.
Beyond that, the elections commission will have direct command of the police and the military at the checkpoints during the election period. The commission also has command of the military and the police in towns and provinces that are designated “hot spots” — areas that are thought to be vulnerable to violence during the election season. Maguindanao is among the dozens of provinces considered to be a hot spot.
Although campaigning officially starts in February and ends before Election Day, May 10, the gun ban will remain in effect until June 9.
The law follows a history of election-related violence. In legislative and local elections in 2007, more than 100 people died. In the 2004 elections for president, Congress and local officials, nearly 200 were killed.
Other forms of violence take place during elections in the Philippines, including the kidnapping of election officials and workers. Parties have also been known to engage in “ballot snatching,” in which supporters of the losing candidates steal ballot boxes and stuff them with false votes.
In extreme cases, school buildings where voting and counting take place have been burned down.
The government of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has vowed to eliminate private armies before the election and has set up a commission that would dismantle the militias in the next four months — an objective that many here say is impossible to achieve.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/11/world/asia/11philippines.html
