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Isabela vice mayor, 8 Rizal jail employees nabbed in violation of gun ban


A local official in Isabela province and eight employees of the Rizal Provincial Jail have been arrested in separate occasions for allegedly violating the nationwide election gun ban, police said Monday. Vice Mayor Gilbert "Benny" Masigan of Sta. Maria town in Isabela was arrested last Saturday for pointing a gun at a man after a heated argument during a campaign sortie. Masigan is running for mayor of the said town, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP) in a statement. A .45 pistol, two magazines and 13 ammunition were seized from him. On Sunday, police and military personnel arrested eight employees of the Rizal Provincial Jail at a Commission on Elections (Comelec) checkpoint along NHA Avenue in Barangay Del Paz in Antipolo City also for violating the gun ban. The suspects—Ronald Loyola, Reynaldo Cerda, Julius Benico, Raldy Gregorio, Leonardo Mateo, Ascher Maghinan, Noel Cervo, and Clement Bundang—were arrested after they failed to present documents permitting them to carry firearms. Seized from the eight were three .45-caliber pistols, two .38-caliber revolvers, two fan knives, three handcuffs, magazines for .45-caliber firearms, assorted ammunition, and other paraphernalia. The arrested suspects and seized firearms were brought under the custody of the Rizal Police Provincial Office. According to Comelec Resolution No. 9561-A, the gun ban for the May 13 elections is from January 13 to June 12. So far, over 2,000 violators have already been arrested. — Amanda Fernandez/KBK/BM, GMA News

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