Ferolino, Casquejo wear black in support of Inting's resignation from Comelec panel on gun bans

Commission on Elections Commissioners Aimee Ferolino and Marlon Casquejo donned black clothes during the Comelec en banc session Wednesday in an apparent protest against the recent amendments in the poll body's gun ban policy for Eleksyon 2022.

According to Ferolino's office, the poll commissioner wore black "in support of Commissioner [Socorro] Inting" who recently resigned as the chairman of the Committee on Firearms and Security Concerns.

On Wednesday, Inting quit her chairmanship of the Comelec panel after the en banc voted to give Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan the authority to unilaterally grant gun exemptions and place areas under the poll body’s control in “meritorious and urgent cases.”

In a memorandum sent to the Comelec en banc, Inting, the most senior commissioner of the poll body, explained that granting Pangarungan such power "essentially" made the committee "functus officio."

“I cannot in good conscience continue to remain as CBSFC Chairperson when this same position has already been made inutile due to the enactment of Comelec Resolution No. 10777,” she said.

Voting 4-3, the Comelec Monday granted Pangarungan the aforementioned powers. It likewise announced gun ban exemptions have been granted to qualified senior government officials, National Bureau of Investigation agents, and election officers.

Pangarungan, Commissioners Rey Bulay, George Garcia, and Aimee Neri all voted in favor of Comelec Resolution No. 10777 while Inting, Casquejo, and Ferolino voted against the policy.

The gun ban started on January 9 this year as the election period officially started that day. 

The said gun ban is in effect until June 8, 2022 for a total of 150 calendar days. —KG, GMA News