Public warned vs fake gun ban exemptions

An unknown group has been selling fake gun ban exemptions to those who wish to bear firearms during the election period, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) bared Monday. Each exemption is being sold for P5,000, according to Comelec Commissioner Lucenito Tagle, citing information from the Philippine National Police (PNP). "Fake yan ... Di naman kami nag-issue ng gun ban exemptions talaga (Those are fake, we don't really issue gun ban exemptions), never have we issued one," said Tagle, who heads the Comelec Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Personnel.

He said the one-page fake exemption bears his signature that was electronically and illegally attached. Fake signature Tagle said the fake exemption uses the form that was used by Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer, who headed the gun ban committee in a previous election when the poll body still issued exemptions. "Tinanggal yung signature ni Ferrer, nilagay yung akin (They removed Ferrer's signature and replaced it with mine)," he said. Tagle said they have already asked the PNP to determine the people behind the proliferation of the fraudulent document. "Ang gusto namin malaman yung brains, sino nagbebenta niyan (We want to know the brains behind this)." He said that those found to be behind the creation and sale of these fake documents may be judged guilty of falsification of public documents and of committing an election offense. Punishable by law Falsification of public documents is punishable by imprisonment and a fine of at least P5,000. On the other hand, an election offense is punishable by one to six years imprisonment, disenfranchisement, and disqualification from holding public office. Earlier, the Comelec issued Resolution 1814 which bans candidates and private individuals from carrying firearms and hiring bodyguards during the election period which will run from January 10 to June 9, 2010. Exempted from the ban are members of the PNP, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and other law enforcement agencies who are on duty. But the Comelec allows individuals with security threats to have escorts during the election period upon application and assessment. The escorts can come from the PNP, AFP, or the National Bureau of Investigation. However, the poll body said that a security detail who is not wearing the authorized uniform but still opts to bear, carry, or transport firearms or other deadly weapons shall be considered unauthorized to carry such weapons and will be arrested. - KBK, GMANews.TV