The Commission on Elections clarified that the nationwide firearms ban in connection with the recently concluded Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections will be lifted as soon as the clock turns 12:01 in the morning of November 14, 2007.

"Gun ban is still effective during the whole day of November 13" said COMELEC spokesman James Jimenez.

The ban, which was implemented by the poll body since the start of the Barangay and SK election period on September 29, 2007, was meant to ensure the holding of clean, honest, orderly, peaceful and credible polls.

In the run-up to the October 29 elections, the Philippine National Police has recorded 48 election related violent incidents which was significantly lower compared to the 159 incidents during the last village polls in 2002.

PNP records also show that as of October 29, 2007, the police have rounded up 325 gun ban violators, leading to the confiscation of 284 firearms, 8 explosives and 52 assorted deadly weapons.