“No person shall bear, carry or transport licensed or unregistered firearms or deadly weapons in public except for the regular plantilla of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), other government law enforcement units and private security agencies duly authorized by the PNP and hired security personnel of candidates who were enlisted with Comelec.”

The Comelec is supposed to implement this from January 10 to June 9, 2010.  During this period, private individuals are prohibited from carrying firearms and each candidate will only be allowed two security personnel.

However, the Comelec’s record for enforcing a total gun ban seems to be not at all good.

During the 2007 elections, about 128 election-related killings and over 200 other incidents of violence resulting in the death of 10 people were reported to have happened from the official start of the  campaign period to election day.

It has been said that the Maguindanao Massacre is an indication of how political warlords will deal with serious competition at the polls now that it is virtually impossible to manipulate the automated election system.  There are those who say that instead of tinkering with the polls, political warlords will just either intimidate people into voting for them or prevent people opposed to their reign from voting.

Over on Inquirer dot net, a report says that a body guard of Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu shot and killed two people.  Here’s an excerpt from that report:

An alleged bodyguard of Buluan, Maguindanao, Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu has been arrested and faces charges for the fatal shooting on Monday of two law enforcers at the Subic Bay Freeport, officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said Tuesday

Mohamedin Panegas Ali, 39, allegedly shot and killed Ceferino Abadia, an employee at the SBMA Law Enforcement Department (LED), and Delfin Orines, a retired policeman who was visiting the LED building.

Police said Ali fired his .45-cal. pistol during a struggle with some policemen and hit Abadia and Orines who were standing in the hallway. The two died before reaching a hospital.