The Philippine Online Chronicles

Election season gun ban violators have risen past 704, according to a report by the Philippine National Police. The number has not stopped going up since the ban took effect on January 9.

According to PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Leonardo Espina, 596 of those caught were civilians, 50 were members of the police, 30 were government officials, and 28 were from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

573 weapons have been recovered, including 255 high-powered arms and 318 guns. Also confiscated were 761 airguns, 128 bladed weapons, and 16 grenades.

Espina added that the commanders of those members of the PNP found in violation of the gun ban would be held accountable.

"We are looking at the possibility of giving the same administrative charges to police commanders who fail to supervise and restrict their erring subordinates,” he said.

The most recent ban violation arrests were made late Sunday night when a retired policeman and his companion were caught with .45 caliber pistols at a checkpoint in Camarines Sur.

Jammers, camera phones also banned

Alongside guns, cellphone signal jammers have also been banned. Following a scare that jammers might be used to sabotage the automated counting machines, which will depend on steady signals to transmit the results of voting during elections, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has implemented a ban on the sale, purchase, importation, possession and use of jamming devices.

NTC common carriers authorization department director Edgardo Cabarios said that they have the equipment to monitor and trace jamming devices in order to maintain the ban.

Cellular phones with built-in cameras will also be banned from the elections premises during the polls, said Comelec-8 acting regional director Jose Nick Mendros.

"Cellular phones with camera are prohibited to preserve the sanctity of our votes," he said.  According to Mendros, vote buyers frequently ask for proof of who one voted for before paying up, and that this is usually done by voters taking pictures of their ballots.

As a preventive measure, Comelec Resolution Number 8739 stipulates that the bringing of digital cameras and other such devices are prohibited within the voting precinct.