MANILA – Nearly six weeks after the nationwide election gun ban took effect, over 1,700 violators have been apprehended in 180,990 police operations, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported.
PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Bernard Banac said 948 of the 1,731 violators were intercepted during police response, 293 through search warrants, and 292 during “Oplan Bakal, Sita, Galugad” operation.
Banac added that the figure included 181 persons apprehended in checkpoints and 22 others during serving of warrants of arrest since the gun ban started on Jan. 13.
He said 1,635 of those arrested were civilians while the rest were 35 security guards, 22 government and elected officials, 20 police officers, three from military, four law enforcers, and a Bureau of Jail and Management Penology personnel.
Authorities have also arrested nine from “threat groups” and two from private armed groups.
Banac added that the PNP has so far confiscated 1,380 firearms and 11,920 deadly weapons like grenades, other explosives, firearm replicas, bladed/pointed weapons and ammunition.
The midterm elections will be held on May 13 but the gun ban will last until June 12, according to the Commission on Elections. (With PNA/PN)
