Over 1000 police escorts recalled by PNP

Over a thousand Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel assigned as security escorts and bodyguards to hundreds of bigwigs in the country, including government officials, diplomats, and election candidates, have been recalled in line with the continuing implementation of the nationwide gun ban, a radio report said Monday. Chief Superintendent Lina Sarmiento, chief of the PNP’s Police Security and Protection Group, was quoted by radio dzBB’s Benjie Liwanag as saying that services of 1,600 cops were recalled based on the Commission on Elections’ Resolution No. 8714 that provides guidelines on the carrying of firearms and availing of bodyguards during the election period. The resolution enforces Section 33 of Republic Act 7166, which states that “during the election period, no candidate for public office, including incumbent public officers seeking election to any public office, shall employ, avail himself of or engage the services of security personnel or bodyguards." But when the situation warrants, the Comelec may assign a member of the police, military, or other law enforcement agencies to provide the person necessary security. “The officers assigned for security duty to a candidate shall be subject to the same requirement as to wearing of uniforms prescribed in the immediately preceding section unless exempted in writing by the Commission," the provision read. “If at any time during the election period, the ground for which the authority to engage the services of security personnel has been granted shall cease to exist or for any other valid cause, the Commission shall revoke the said authority," it added. Violation of the nationwide gun ban is an election offense that entails a punishment of six months to one year imprisonment. It is implemented across the country for five months – starting from 120 days before the actual date of the elections, and ending 30 days after it. Since the gun ban took effect on Sunday, 48 violators had been apprehended as of posting time. Of those arrested, three are government officials; five policemen; four military personnel; and 36 civilians. [See: 3 govt officials among 48 arrested violators of gun ban] A GMA Flash report earlier said the arrested violators would not be immediately jailed as they would still undergo proper investigation. – JV, GMANews.TV