The gun ban will be implemented nationwide and only uniformed personnel such as those from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police (PNP) are exempted by the Comelec.
According to Col. Josefino Ligan, chief of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), the checkpoints will be conducted by the PNP, led by the Comelec.
This is to prevent armed groups from being used by candidates running for office in the May elections.
All permits to carry firearms will be temporarily suspended until June 8.
Ligan said the police have been preparing for this since 2021, after a series of meetings with Comelec officials.
The Comelec has issued guidelines that should be followed in campaign events such as political rallies.
Ligan said he is proud that Cebu has no known private armed groups that politicians can hire during the campaign period. He said Cebu has not been included in the list of places with election-related violence in previous years.
Meanwhile, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is planning to ask the PNP to retain Ligan as chief of Cebu City’s police.
Ligan has been serving as the CCPO chief for more than a year and is set to be relieved from his post before the election season begins on Jan. 9.
Rama said he recently talked to PNP Chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos on Monday, Jan. 3, and he asked the latter to retain Ligan as the CCPO chief due to his performance in helping minimizing the number of Covid-19 active cases in the city through the police’s strict implementation of health protocols.
Rama, however, said if Carlos wants Ligan to be promoted to another position, he is willing to abide.