By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Negros Occidental has begun accepting applications for gun ban exemption for the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections this October.

Comelec-Negros Occidental elections supervisor Atty. Ian Lee Ananoria said, based on a resolution promulgated last May 17, applicants may file for a gun ban exemption on the poll body’s website.

At present, among those exempted in the gun ban are high-ranking government officials, which include the president and the vice president, the chief justice, senators, and members of the House of Representatives.

Also exempted are uniformed law enforcement personnel such as the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Ananoria said the provincial Comelec office will meet with law enforcement personnel, informing them about their duties and schedules for the upcoming polls.

Also to be tackled are areas in Negros Occidental that are likely to be tagged as election watchlist areas.

Comelec will impose a gun ban from August 28 to November 29 of this year, as part of the upcoming barangay and SK elections.

Earlier, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office said, with the exception of the insurgents from the New People’s Army, there are no private armed groups operating in the province./DGB, WDJ