Updates on Philippine elections and Denver gun show shooting last March

I have been watching, from a distance, the election season in the Philippines because this time around, the national government declared a giant gun free zone for the country. No weapons were to be carried outside the home for the duration of the election cycle. Candidates could apply for two armed security guards, and they had to be in uniform. Hundreds of thousands of police and military were detailed to man checkpoints and do foot patrols to enforce the ban. Nearly 2,000 people have been arrested under the gun-ban rules. So far, this season has had more violence than previous ones, and since January, 33 people have been killed in election related attacks.

This from the Hindustan Times underscores yet again that folks actually, in their heart of hearts, know that carrying guns for self-defense is the only real solution. Gun free zones don't work:

"Two separate bomb attacks against two judges, both of whom escaped unharmed, Tuesday and Wednesday prompted the Supreme Court to ask the Elections Commission to exempt some 2,200 justices nationwide from the mandatory election gun ban. Supreme Court spokesman Midas Marquez said Wednesday that the same request was already made in January. Commissioner Rene Sarmiento said the election body would meet to reconsider allowing judges to carry weapons for self-protection." Hindustan Times,dateline Manila, April 15, 2010

And in other news:

The shooting at the Tanner Gun Show in Denver on March 20th is still not settled. The Adams County Sheriff's office announced on March 24th that the victim and the person who pulled the trigger on a gun he picked up off the vendor's table would face no charges. The vendor, James Peterschmidt, is still in limbo. According to Krista Flanigan at the District Attorney's office, they haven't decided what they are going to do yet. 40 days and counting and no charges filed......