MANILA, March 16 (NNN-PNA) -? More than 1,400 individuals have already been apprehended by government authorities since the Commission on Elections (Comelec) ordered the implementation of the nationwide total gun ban last January.
Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Chief Supt. Leonardo Espina, quoting latest reports from the National Election Monitoring and Action Center (NEMAC), said as of midnight Monday a total of 1,406 individuals had been arrested since January 10 when the Comelec started imposing the nationwide gun ban.
On Monday, 16 more civilians were apprehended during checkpoint operations in various parts of the country. They yielded 13 firearms ? five high-powered and eight low-powered, and four bladed weapons.
Of the 1,406 total number of arrested persons, 1,238 are civilians while 168 are government personnel. Only on Monday, an incumbent mayor in Albay province was collared by elements of the PNP-Aviation Security Group (AVSegroup) at the NAIA Terminal II in Pasay City in possession of a .45 caliber pistol while about to board a domestic flight for Legazpi City.
Espina said the filing of disqualification case against Mayor Avelino Ceriola of Malinao town, Albay is now in progress.
NEMAC reports also showed that a total of 1,215 firearms, composed of 458 high-powered and 757 low-powered firearms, 800 various kinds of gun replicas, 339 different types of bladed weapons and 225 explosives, were confiscated during actual inspections conducted jointly by police and military elements, supervised by the Comelec.
The Comelec, through Resolution 8714, has implemented a nationwide total gun ban as part of the government?s stepped up measures to ensure honest, orderly and peaceful elections in May.
Under Comelec Resolution 8714, only bonafide members of the PNP, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and other government and accredited private security agencies are allowed to carry firearms during actual performance of their duty and wearing proper uniform.
Also, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the dismantling of all private armed groups (PAGs) operating in the country to prevent election-related violence.– NNN-PNA
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