election gun ban

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/279470...cluded-gun-ban

Gun Replicas Not Included in Gun Ban
By LESLIE ANN G. AQUINO
September 28, 2010, 4:57pm

MANILA, Philippines — Gun replicas not included in gun ban, said the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said a
gun replica is not included in the ban
since it can’t kill anyone.

“The purpose of the gun ban is not to prevent the people from scaring people rather to prevent people from killing people,” he told reporters in an interview.

“A replica, no matter how scary it is, will not kill anyone…. So a replica even if it looks real is not covered by the gun ban,” added Jimenez.

If ever there were instances that the Philippine National Police (PNP) confiscated gun replicas, he said, he is convinced that it was just a precautionary measure.

“If you cannot distinguish immediately or on the spot if a gun is merely a replica or not, then again erring on the side of caution, you don’t want them to suddenly pullout the replica and shoot you with it. You have to be sure,” Jimenez said.

The poll official, meantime, warned the public against false checkpoints following the reports of some people being victimized by it.

“There might be some people who might use this as an opportunity and set up their own checkpoints and use it for highway robbery,” said Jimenez.

“We would like to remind the public that Comelec checkpoints are located in well lit areas. Second, they are manned at all times by PNP personnel who are in uniform. Third, look for their nameplate,” he added.




EDITED BY OBET
8:17HRS 9/30/10

http://politics.inquirer.net/politic...gun-banComelec

Airsoft, pellet guns covered by poll gun ban—Comelec
By Philip Tubeza
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:20:00 09/28/2010
Air guns, pellet guns, and airsoft guns are covered by the current gun ban for the Oct. 25 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, a Commission on Elections official said Tuesday.

MANILA, Philippines—Air guns, pellet guns, and airsoft guns are covered by the current gun ban for the Oct. 25 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, a Commission on Elections official said Tuesday.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said these guns were included because they fall under the definition of a gun as "any device that propels a projectile or a slug."

"For the most part, the slug is chemically propelled. But the definition of a gun also includes weapons that fire projectiles that are pushed or propelled by non-chemical agents. In that sense, air guns and airsoft [guns] are included," Jimenez said in a press conference.

"Even if these are just pellet guns ... they are considered illegal," he added.

However, Jimenez said gun replicas were not covered by the gun ban, which began on Sept. 25 lasting until Nov. 10.

"Replicas can be used to scare people but the gun ban is not meant to prevent people from scaring others but to prevent people from killing others," Jimenez said.

"A replica, no matter how scary it is, will not kill anyone unless you use it to bash someone’s head in. That's a different story. So a replica, even if it looks real, is not covered by the gun ban," he added.

Jimenez also warned the public against highway robbers who might set up fake Comelec check points.

He said Comelec checkpoints were usually set up in well-lighted areas and were manned by uniformed policemen with nameplates.

"There might be some opportunistic black hearts who might use this as an opportunity to set up their own checkpoints and use it for highway robbery," Jimenez said.

He also said that the Comelec would allow official appointments during the election period if these positions were vital to government operations.

"We are not going to paralyze government simply because there is an election," Jimenez said.
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