The Philippine National Police (PNP) is insisting on its proposal for the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to impose a total gun ban during the 2010 elections.

PNP operations chief Director Andres Caro II said the proposal, once approved by the poll body, will help ensure clean, honest and peaceful elections next year.

He said the implementation of a total gun ban will also help prevent election-related violence and get rid of private armies of politicians taking part in the 2010 polls.

“We can expect lesser incidents of election-related violence once a total gun ban is imposed,” Caro said at Saturday’s “Kapihan sa Sulo” forum in Quezon City.

Caro said the PNP leadership will meet with Comelec officials to convince them to enforce a total gun ban, especially after knowing that one of them was against the proposal.

Comelec Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer reportedly said he does not believe in the concept of a total gun ban as he could not imagine how politicians and other high-profile personalities would be protected by unarmed security guards.