PNoy distributes brand new pistols to PNP officers

 News
Jul 012013
 

President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday led the distribution of 22,603 pistols to Philippine National Police (PNP) officers as part of the government’s effort to arm each police officer in the country with a handgun.

 

Glock 17 9mm automatic pistol

Aquino, himself a gun enthusiast, handed the brand-new Glock 17 Generation 4 pistols to some PNP officers in turnover ceremonies at the National Police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

According to the PNP, each pistol was bought for P16,569, much lower than its current retail price of P40,940. The PNP said the government was able to save P200 million for the handguns.

According to the Glock website, the Glock 17 is the “world’s most popular pistol.” The unit specifically given to PNP officers has a reversible enlarged magazine catch and a dual recoil spring assembly, among other features.

The pistols distributed by the President were part of the 74,879 handguns procured by the PNP as part of the P1-billion contract signed last September to fully fill up the handgun requirements of the police force.

The handgun contract was signed last year after the PNP and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) officials faced a Senate inquiry for a plan to procure allegedly overpriced assault rifles. The PNP eventually aborted the rifle deal.  — Andreo Calonzo/RSJ, GMA News
 

Low turnout for local absentee voting dissapoints Comelec chief Brillantes

 News
May 012013
 
Low turnout for local absentee voting dissapoints Comelec chief Brillantes

Poll chief Brillantes casts vote 14 days ahead of Election Day. Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. casts his vote on the second day of the local absentee voting at the poll body’s head office in Intramuros, Manila on Monday. Government officials and workers, including police and military personnel, and, for the first time, approved, media practitioners who will be on duty on Election Day, are allowed to exercise their right of suffrage in advance. Danny Pata Even as he has yet to receive the final report on the recently-concluded three-day local absentee voting, Elections chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. is not satisfied with the low turnout of voters in the electoral exercise. In an interview with reporters Wednesday, Brillantes said that based on initial figures, the registration and number of those who voted was lower compared to the 2010 elections. “Definitely hindi ako satisfied. Hindi maganda ang registration dahil lumiit compared to 2010, lumiit ang registration from 33,0000 I think in 2010, ngayon 18,000 lang. Tapos ang turnout hindi ko alam kung gaano kalaki,” he said. Of the 18,332 who registered for this election’s local absentee voting, only 12,732 were found qualified to vote. The local absentee voting was conducted from April 28 to 30. Data from the Comelec-National Capital Region showed that of the 366 media personnel who registered for local absentee voting, only 200 availed of the privilege. In the past, only government officials and employees, and members of the National Police and Armed Forces who are temporarily assigned to Read More …

For the first time, media will be allowed to vote ahead of Election Day

 News
Feb 132013
 
For the first time, media will be allowed to vote ahead of Election Day

For the first time, media personnel who will not be able to vote on election day due to work will now be allowed to cast their votes ahead of the elections. In Resolution 9637, the Commission on Elections said media practitioners, even the technical and support staff who are actively engaged in information gathering and news reporting, are now entitled to avail of the local absentee voting. The resolution was promulgated on February 13. Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said they will be coming out with application forms soon, adding that they expect between 10,000 to 20,000 media workers to avail of the local absentee voting. Among those who can avail of the local absentee voting are print journalists, television journalists, photojournalists, online journalists, radio journalists, documentary makers and those in television/ radio production who are duly registered voters. For the May 13 polls, the local absentee voters can only vote for 12 senators and  a party-list group.  In the past, only government officials and employees, members of the National Police and Armed Forces who are temporarily assigned to perform election duties in places where they are not registered voters, are allowed to participate in local absentee voting. The voting will be held from April 28, 29, 30 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Members of the media can vote at the Comelec office where they filed their applications while for the others, the AFP and PNP, head of office, supervisor or commander should designate the place of voting not later Read More …

Has the gun ban been effective? Comelec chief wants to know

 News
Jan 312013
 
Has the gun ban been effective? Comelec chief wants to know

With the campaign period about to start and with the spate of gun-related crimes, Elections chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. wants to know if the implementation of the election gun ban has been effective.  On Thursday, Brillantes said he plans to meet with National Police chief Alan Purisima to “get statistics before the start of the campaign period.”  “Yun ang concern namin, kung nagkaroon ba ng effect yung checkpoints at gun ban. So before January 13 (when the gun ban was implemented), ano ba statistics dyan compared to now?” Brillantes told reporters. The poll chief said the meeting would most likely be this Saturday when Comelec holds a mock elections at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame in Quezon City. The campaign period for national candidates starts February 12. On the other hand, the campaign period for local candidates starts March 30.  Growing crime rate During the same interview, Brillantes said a growing crime rate is everybody’s concern whether it is election period or not. “Kasi may nagsasabi na naha-highlight ito dahil may gun ban at may checkpoints. Pero sa akin, it does not matter what is highlighted or not,” he said. Asked if the poll body is planning to amend its gun ban resolution because of the recent incidents, Brillantes said there is no plan yet but they will definitely look into the statistics. “We will have to wait for actual statistics. Wala naman kaming empirical record dito to determine kung ano ang tama kaya lang naha-highlight dahil may gun ban Read More …