25 arrested in Region 7 for gun ban violation

Police here conducted a Comelec checkpoint on Sunday, January 9, 2022, inline with the nationwide gun ban for election polls. | Photo screen grabbed from PRO-7 FB Live

CEBU CITY, Philippines – At least 25 individuals in Central Visayas were arrested for allegedly violating the ongoing gun ban in relation to the upcoming May 2022 elections.

The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) said in a statement issued on Thursday, January 20, 2022, that they apprehended a total of 25 people in the region for carrying firearms despite the ban already in effect. 

They confiscated a total of 13 firearms and weapons from January 9, when the election gun ban took effect, up to January 18. 

“From January 9 to 18, the PRO7 – Regional Election Monitoring Action Center (REMAC-7) recorded the arrest of 25 violators and the seizure of 13 unregistered firearms, fragmentation hand grenades, other deadly weapons, and ammunition,” PRO-7 stated. 

Some of the weapons the police seized included caliber .38 revolvers, caliber .45, and caliber 9 mm pistols. 

Police in Central Visayas put up a total of 1,615 checkpoints in observance of the election season. 

Police Brigadier General Roque Eduardo Vega, director of PRO-7, said the police is expected to further intensify their gun ban monitoring, especially since the polls are drawing near. 

“We will closely monitor situations and election-related activities in Central Visayas round-the-clock through our REMAC,” said Vega.

“Rest assured checkpoints are conducted following the standard operating procedure of the PNP and IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease) guidelines on minimum public health protocols,” he added.

The 2022 Presidential elections will be on May 9, 2022.

/bmjo

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