IN THE MATTER OF CLARIFYING THE AREAS COVERED BY RESOLUTION NO. 8460 DATED 20 MAY 2008 ENTITLED "RULES AND REGULATIONS ON: (A) BEARING, CARRYING OR TRANSPORTING FIREARMS OR OTHER DEADLY WEAPONS; (B) SECURITY PERSONNEL OR BODYGUARDS; (C) BEARING ARMS BY ANY MEMBER OF SECURITY OR POLICE ORGANIZATION OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND OTHER SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS (D) ORGANIZATION OR MAINTENANCE OF REACTION FORCES DURING THE ELECTION PERIOD IN CONNECTION WITH THE AUGUST 11, 2008 ELECTION OF REGIONAL OFFICIALS IN THE AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO (ARMM), AND INCLUDING ISABELA CITY, BASILAN AND COTABATO CITY IN THE COVERAGE THEREOF.
WHEREAS, the Commission on Elections promulgated on May 20, 2008, Resolution No. 8460 setting the rules and regulations on: (a) Bearing, Carrying or Transporting Firearms or other Deadly Weapons; (b) Security Personnel or Bodyguards; (c) Bearing Arms By Any Member of Security or Police Organization of Government Agencies and Other Similar Organization; and (d) Organization or Maintenance of Reaction Forces During the Election Period in connection with the August 11, 2008 Election of Region Officials in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM);
WHEREAS, Resolution No. 8460 was promulgated in line with the policy of the Commission to supervise and regulate the bearing, possession, use, transport of, and otherwise any dealing with or transaction involving, firearms or other deadly weapons in furtherance of its constitutionally mandated obligation to ensure the holding of a clean, honest, orderly, peaceful and credible August 11, 2008 ARMM elections;
WHEREAS, Cotabato City is strategically located in the Provinces of Maguindanao and Shariff Kabunsuan, and the City of Cotabato and the Province of Shariff Kabunsuan shared only one representation in Congress;
WHEREAS, the Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor of Basilan and the sub-offices of the Elections Officers of Basilan Province is centrally located in Isabela City;
WHEREAS, in the interest of free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible conduct of the August 11, 2008 ARMM elections, the Commission on Elections deems it necessary to clarify the areas covered by Resolution No. 8460 and include the entire City of Cotabato and Isabela City, Basilan in its coverage.
NOW THEREFORE, the Commission on Elections, by virtue of the powers vested in it by the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, the Omnibus Election Code, Republic Act No. 9164, and other election laws, RESOLVED, as it hereby RESOLVES, to clarify that Resolution No. 8460 covers the ARMM areas including Isabela City and Cotabato City.
This Resolution shall take effect on the seventh (7th) day after its publication in two (2) daily newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines.
The Education and Information Department shall cause the publication of this Resolution in two (2) daily newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines and give the same the widest dissemination possible. The Executive Director shall furnish copies of this Resolution to the Secretary of the Department of National Defense, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Justice, the Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Director-General of the Philippine National Police and the Director of the National Bureau of Investigation.
SO ORDERED.