Nearly 1,400 violators of gun ban arrested

Nearly 1,400 individuals have been arrested for violating the election gun ban as part of the security measures for the national and local polls that will be conducted in May, data released by the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Sunday showed.

Citing the daily report of the National Election Monitoring Action Center (NEMAC), the PNP said there have been 1,398 individuals arrested as of Saturday, March 1, with the largest share being in the National Capital Region (NCR) with 419 individuals.

For other regions, there were 37 arrested in the Ilocos Region, 43 in the Cagayan Valley, 207 in Central Luzon, 106 in Calabarzon, six in Mimaropa, 22 in the Bicol Region, 66 in Western Visayas, 186 in Central Visayas, 31 in Eastern Visayas 33 in the Zamboanga Peninsula, and 55 in Northern Mindanao.

There were 69 arrested in the Davao Region, 33 in Soccsksargen, 25 in Caraga, 38 in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and 22 in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

Those arrested include nine from the PNP, seven from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), six from other law enforcement agencies, five elected government officials (EGO), two appointed government officials (AGO), one from the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) Active Auxiliary, six foreign nationals, three children in conflict with the law, 31 security guards, and 1,328 civilians.

The PNP has since seized 1,422 firearms — 541 revolvers,  431 pistols,  51 replicas, 50 explosives, 31 Class A guns, 26 shotguns, 19 rifles, two Class B guns, and 271 others.

There have so far been nine validated election-related incidents, of which six were violent and three were non-violent. There have also been seven suspected election-related incidents, and seven non-election related incidents.

The nationwide gun ban took effect on January 12, and will continue until June 11, 2025. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/RF, GMA Integrated News

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