ILOILO City – The number of persons arrested across the region for violating the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gun ban since Jan. 9 has risen to 53, data from the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) showed.
Negros Occidental had the highest number of arrested violators at 21 followed by Iloilo province with 12.
Bacolod City and Aklan had six each; Iloilo City, three; Capiz and Antique had two each; and Guimaras had one.
Also, from Jan. 9 to Feb.5, 40 firearms were seized. Of these, 16 were from Negros Occidental, eight from Iloilo, six from Bacolod City, three each from Aklan, Antique and Capiz, and one from Guimaras.
Other seized deadly weapons (knives, etc. other than guns) reached to 16.
All the apprehended violators were charged with violating the gun ban, illegal possession of firearms and/or illegal possession of deadly weapons.
PRO-6 director Police Brigadier General Fynn Dongbo said the number of arrests could rise “kung patuloy ang mga gun holders magdala ng kanilang baril outside their residence.”
Permits to carry firearms outside of residence (PTCFOR) are suspended during the election period.
“So again paala ko sa kanila, huwag munang magdala ng baril. Kasi ang ating mga pulis ay nagbabantay sa daan through checkpoints. Kahit pulis, sundalo at iba pang government forces huhulihin namin kung naka-civilian and walang certification of exemption from the Comelec,” Dongbo said.
He instructed all his police chiefs and unit commanders to further strengthen their checkpoints and roving patrol.
He also told his men to continue enforcing the health protocols to avoid being infected by the coronavirus disease./PN
