MANILA — The Supreme Court has ruled that the prohibition on carrying bladed weapons during elections is limited to voting precincts and areas within a 100-meter radius, clarifying the scope of the law.
In a decision issued by its Third Division, the high court granted a motion for reconsideration that reversed its earlier ruling convicting a man for violating the Omnibus Election Code.
The case stemmed from the man’s arrest during the 2018 polls, when he was found carrying a kitchen knife outside his home without authorization from the Commission on Elections.
Lower courts, including the Regional Trial Court and the Court of Appeals, had found him guilty of unlawfully carrying a deadly weapon during the election period—a decision the Supreme Court had initially upheld.
However, upon review, the tribunal acquitted the accused, citing the prosecution’s failure to prove that he was within a polling place or inside the 100-meter restricted zone at the time of his arrest.
The Court emphasized that the law penalizing the carrying of bladed instruments applies only in specific locations tied to voting activities.
It also clarified in Buella v. People that bladed weapons are not covered by provisions that regulate firearms outside residences or places of business during the election period.
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