ILOILO City – The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) has apprehended five individuals for violating the gun ban in Western Visayas, as part of security measures leading up to the May 12, 2025 midterm elections.
According to PRO-6 spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Arnel Solis, the arrests were made through incidental operations rather than at checkpoints.
“No one was apprehended directly during checkpoint inspections; most were caught during investigations of other violations,” Solis explained.
The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) reported two arrests, while the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO), Capiz Police Provincial Office (CPPO), and Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) each recorded one case.
The first gun ban violator was apprehended at around 1 a.m. in Jaro, Iloilo City. A businessman driving a pickup truck accidentally rammed a bingka kiosk, prompting a police investigation. Authorities discovered two short firearms and an armalite rifle with ammunition in the vehicle.
The most recent arrest, on the other hand, occurred in Barangay Cabungahan, Maayon, Capiz, where a 35-year-old man was nabbed during a search warrant operation for violations of Republic Act (RA) 10591, the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, and RA 9516, the law on illegal explosives.
The suspect yielded a caliber .38 revolver, five live cartridges, a fragmentation hand grenade, and illegal drugs.
The PRO-6 urged the public to cooperate with Commission on Elections (Comelec) checkpoints and reminded gun owners that only those with Comelec exemptions are allowed to carry firearms.
All gun licenses and permits to carry firearms outside residences are suspended during the election period, which ends on June 11, 2025.
“Law enforcers are the only ones authorized to carry firearms, and they must do so in proper uniform,” emphasized Solis.
He reiterated: “We urge gun owners to comply with the gun ban to avoid legal consequences.”/PN
