Ferolino to sit as Comelec gun ban panel acting chair

Poll Commissioner Aimee Ferolino will sit as the acting chair of the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) Committee on Firearms and Security Concerns after the en banc deferred the deliberations on the resignation of Commissioner Socorro Inting as the chairperson of the panel.

According to Ferolino's office, it was the "choice" of Comelec Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan to defer the deliberations of Inting's resignation during the en banc session on Wednesday.

It is expected to be discussed in the next en banc session.

"We do not know why it was deferred," the poll commissioner's staff member added.

In an ambush interview with reporters, Commissioner George Garcia said they did not consider the resignation of Inting during the en banc's session today "out of respect" to the poll official.

Garcia says there were no vehement reactions when they discussed Comm Inting’s resignation as gun ban committee chair, that discussion on it was deferred “out of respect” for Inting. @gmanews #Eleksyon2022 pic.twitter.com/AtDY0Fl3Ec

— Tina PanganibanPerez (@tinapperez) April 13, 2022

"We deferred consideration of the resignation of Commissioner Inting out of respect sa kanya [to her] and at the same time, 'yung resignation ni Honorable Commissioner Inting ay irrevocable, but just the same kahit irrevocable siya [even if it is irrevocable], we did not consider that muna [at the moment]," Garcia told reporters.

He added that the en banc session today has been "solemn" and there were no violent reactions on the recent development.

"Walang vehement objections, reactions, or whatever. Napaka-solemn ng aming discussion doon at naging maayos ang aming talakayan tungkol sa issue na yon," he added.

(There were no vehement  objections, reactions, or whatever. Our discussion on that issues was solemn and it went well.)

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.

BREAKING: Comelec Comm Socorro Inting resigns as chair of the Comm on the Ban on Firearms & Security Concerns “in protest” over giving the Comelec chair power to grant gun ban exemptions & place areas under Comelec control in “meritorious & urgent cases.” @gmanews #Eleksyon2022 pic.twitter.com/9RzvgOLIAw

— Tina PanganibanPerez (@tinapperez) April 12, 2022

In support to Inting, poll commissioners Ferolino and Marlon Casquejo donned black clothes during the Comelec en banc session Wednesday.

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, the official start of the election period.

It is in effect until June 8, 2022 for a total of 150 calendar days. — BM, GMA News