Over 4,000 arrested for violating election gun ban

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) reported that 4,729 individuals have been arrested for gun ban violations as of Friday, April 26.

The election gun ban has started on Jan. 13.

Of these, 4,449 were civilians, 79 were security guards, 75 were government and elected officials, 38 were police officers, 31 were member of “threat groups,” 17 were members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, 12 were other law enforcement agency personnel, nine were foreign nationals, eight were private armed group members, seven were members of the Citizen’s Armed Forces Group Unit, and four were personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

Of the 3,942 firearms confiscated, surrendered, and recovered, 2,989 were small firearms, 866 were homemade, and 87 were light arms.

A total of 35,967 other deadly weapons were also seized including ammunition, bladed weapons, explosives or improvised explosive devices, grenades, and replica firearms.

The PNP data also showed that most of the arrests were conducted through police patrol response with 2,634 persons arrested. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras