ILOILO City – The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) has reminded the public that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gun ban remains in effect until June 11, 2025, despite the conclusion of the May 12 national and local elections.
PRO-6 director Brigadier General Jack Wanky stressed that the Philippine National Police (PNP) continues to strictly implement the prohibition on firearms and deadly weapons in accordance with Comelec Resolution No. 10918, which covers the entire election period from January 12 to June 11, 2025.
Under the resolution, individuals are barred from bearing, carrying, or transporting firearms or other deadly weapons in public places — including streets, parks, buildings, and vehicles — regardless of firearm license, unless authorized in writing by Comelec.
As of May 23, a total of 73 violators across Western Visayas have been arrested for breaching the gun ban.
The Iloilo Police Provincial Office recorded the highest number of apprehensions with 31 cases, followed by Capiz with 16, Antique with eight, Iloilo City with seven, Guimaras with four, and the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 6 with three.
Violators face penalties including imprisonment ranging from one to six years, permanent disqualification from public office, loss of voting rights, and deportation for foreign nationals upon completion of prison terms.
Aside from the ban on firearms, the resolution also prohibits the hiring or use of security personnel or bodyguards unless granted a Certificate of Authority by the Comelec Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns (CBFSC) or the Regional Joint Security Control Center (RJSCC).
Comelec alone has the exclusive authority to permit the following:
* carrying or transporting firearms and deadly weapons
* employing or engaging bodyguards or security services
* transporting firearms, ammunition, explosives, or related components/PN