Fish vendor ends up in jail for violating election gun ban

Francis Evan Torrevillas lands in jail after allegedly carrying a firearm during the election gun ban period. Benjie Talisic

Cebu City, Philippines – A fish vendor landed in jail after being caught carrying a gun in a lodging house along Leon Kilat Street in Barangay Kalubihan here on Tuesday night, January 15,  two days since the start of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gun ban.

Police arrested Francis Evan Torrevillas, 30, from Barangay Ermita for violating the election gun ban. Confiscated from him was a .38 caliber revolver.

Personnel from the Carbon Police headed by station commander Chief Inspector John Kareen Escober responded to the alarm after receiving a report from an unidentified informant through phone of a man carrying a firearm inside a lodging house.

Escober said they caught the suspect at around 8 p.m. while on his way out from the lodging house after noticing the gun tucked in waist.  He said Torrevillas didn’t resist the arrest.

The gun ban is implemented as part of security measures for the May 13, 2019 midterm elections. It will run from January 13 up to June 12.

During this period, it is prohibited to bear, carry or transport firearms, explosives or other deadly weapons. Only the on-duty policemen, soldiers and other law enforcers are exempted from the gun ban. /BJO