Comelec: Gun ban in BARMM not lifted – BusinessWorld Online
THE ELECTION and campaign period as well as the gun ban in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will proceed despite the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) move to suspend its preparations, it said on Sunday.
In a Facebook post, the Commission said it promulgated Comelec Minute Resolution (MR) No. 25-1018 dated Sept. 19, to announce the continuation of the election period, gun ban and campaign period.
It also issued Comelec MR No. 25-1017, dated Sept. 19, which allowed for the continued implementation of security measures, in cooperation with the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Comelec made the clarifications in response to fake news reports, claiming the gun ban has been lifted and that the BARMM elections will push through despite the Supreme Court (SC) order, in relation to the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 77.
Comelec last week suspended preparations for the Oct. 13 polls after the SC issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against BAA No. 77, which reapportions parliamentary districts in Sulu to BARMM.
The Commission currently has no legal authority to resume preparations until the TRO is lifted, or a final Supreme Court ruling is issued, it said in Filipino in a separate post. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking
