ILOILO City – So far no government forces have been arrested for violation of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gun ban, according to the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6).
As of yesterday, 110 persons have been caught violating the gun ban in Western Visayas since the prohibition was enforced on Jan. 8, but none of these were members of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other law enforcement agencies.
“Nagpapakita lang ito na masunurin ang ating mga government forces. They observe the Comelec gun ban. Lahat civilians ang nahuli at hindi tayo nagkulang sa pagpapaalala sa kanila na may gun ban ngayon,” said PRO-6 director Brigadier General Flynn Dongbo.
Negros Occidental province had the highest number of violators at 43, PRO-6 data showed.
Iloilo province ranked second with 20 violators.
There were 13 violators in Aklan province; 11 violators in Iloilo City; nine violators each in Bacolod City and Capiz: three violators in Antique province; and two violators in Guimaras province.
Sixty-five firearms and 54 bladed weapons were confiscated from the 110 violators.
Since Jan. 9, the PRO-6 has been intensifying checkpoints across the region.
“It is our objective that this 2022 election is secure, fair, peaceful and orderly and we need the cooperation, support and commitment of everyone to achieve this,” said Dongbo.
The PRO-6 reiterated that only those with certificates to carry firearms are exempted from the gun ban that will last until June 8./PN
