Comelec explains ban on realistic toy guns

Metro Manila, Philippines – Toy guns that resemble real firearms are included in the election period gun ban, Commission on Elections Chairman George Garcia said on Thursday, Jan. 16.

“Pag ang toy gun ay talagang itsurang itsurang baril, pinagbabawal din po iyan kasi useless yung ban natin kung may mga ganyan na pwedeng magamit sa pagnanakaw, pwede gamitin sa violence, pananakot,” Garcia told reporters at the Comelec headquarters in Intramuros, Manila.

[Translation: If a toy gun really looks like a real gun, it is also prohibited because our ban would be useless if there are such items that could be used for theft, violence, or intimidation.]

“Pero kung halatang-halata mo naman nang toy gun, halimbawa yung toy gun ay kulay green na, plastic pa, hindi naman siguro para natin arestuhin yung tao, nasa discretion po iyan ngating miyembro ng law enforcement authorities,” he added.

[Translation: But if it's clearly a toy gun, for example, if the toy gun is green and made of plastic, we probably shouldn't arrest the person. It's up to the discretion of our law enforcement authorities.]

Police and military personnel are manning checkpoints nationwide to enforce the gun ban from Jan. 12 to June 11 – the election period for the May 12 midterm polls.

During this period, no one shall bear, carry, or transport firearms or other deadly weapons in public places, even if licensed, unless authorized in writing by the Comelec.

Prohibited firearms include airguns, airsoft guns, antique firearms, imitation firearms.

Bladed weapons cannot be carried outside the residence unless they are being used for work, such as by farmers or coconut vendors, Garcia said.

“There is always a limit to what a commission like us can do when it comes to the rights of the people. This is always a balancing of interests. The right of the government to protect the citizenry and the right of the people to privacy and property,” the poll chairman explained.

As of Comelec's Jan. 15 report, authorities have seized 119 firearms and weapons and arrested 118 individuals.