MANILA, Philippines -- Thirty minutes into Sunday, police officer Dennis Quinto, in civilian clothes, came down the road on a motorcycle with a .45-cal Armscor pistol tucked in his waist.

Quinto, a Police Officer 1 belonging to the regional mobile group of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), never got past the police checkpoint in Quezon City.

He was the first violator of the nationwide election gun ban and one of a total of 18 people arrested in the first few hours of the implementation of the ban, which took effect at 12:01 a.m. Sunday.

The 18 included two other policemen, a Navy enlisted personnel and a lawyer working in a government office.

?We won't spare our own men in this campaign. So, all those who plan to violate the (gun ban) must think twice,? NCRPO spokesperson Rommel Miranda said.

Quinto failed to produce documents authorizing him to carry the weapon, said Chief Supt. Leonardo Espina, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The checkpoint in Quezon City that intercepted Quinto was among the 3,500 mobile checkpoints manned by 50,000 policemen that were set up across the country to implement the gun ban and ensure peaceful elections on May 10.

A Commission on Elections (Comelec) resolution prohibits the carrying and transport of firearms, explosives and deadly weapons during the 150-day election period from Jan. 10 to June 9, 2010.

The resolution?s definition of a "firearm" extends to air guns, airsoft guns "and their replica/imitation in whatever form that can cause an ordinary person to believe that they are real."

The resolution stipulates that only members of the PNP, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other law enforcement agencies in proper uniform and while in actual performance of official duty are authorized to bear firearms during the election period.

During the election period, the Comelec is empowered to issue orders to the police and other public agencies aimed at ensuring clean and peaceful polls.

The election period should not be confused with the campaign period, which starts on Feb. 9 for national candidates and March 26 for local candidates. The campaign period ends on May 8.

``They all claimed they were not aware that the gun ban had started, but it's no excuse. We have to implement the law,'' Senior Supt. Eric Reyes, NCRPO chief, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Reyes said most of those arrested were licensed to carry firearms.

``During an election gun ban, all licenses and permits to carry are considered invalid,'' he said. "Only Comelec could issue an exception to a gun holder.''

The offense carries a punishment of six months to one year imprisonment.

Separately, Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales announced on Sunday that the AFP would start moving to dismantle private armed groups in time for the elections.

"The AFP does not need to wait for the recommendations of the Presidential Commission on Private Armed Groups before proceeding with the campaign," Gonzales said in a statement.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has formed a six-man commission to crush all private armies before the elections. The move was spurred by the Nov. 23 massacre of 57 people -- at least 30 of them media workers -- in Maguindanao province in Mindanao. The slaughter has been blamed on the powerful Ampatuan clan.

The military and the police earlier disclosed that they were able to verify the existence of at least 68 private armed groups, 25 of which were in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

About two hours following Quinto's arrest, another checkpoint in Quezon City intercepted a civilian on board a motorcycle identified as Rhogel Gutierrez carrying a .45-cal pistol.

Those arrested from the police and the military were identified as SPO1 William Ronquillo, who was carrying a Glock 9-mm pistol; Navy personnel Michael Basahan, in possession of a 9mm Norinco pistol; and PO1 Aldrin Almanzar, carrying a .45-cal Norinco pistol.

Others arrested in Metro Manila were lawyer Tecson John Lim, who was in possession of a Glock .40-cal pistol and a Sigsauer 9-mm pistol; Eman Perez for possession of a cal .45 Armscor pistol and Leopold Francisco, who yielded a 9mm Beretta pistol.

Civilians Tristam de Castro, Junas Eslao and Juan Carlos Maglaque were also arrested for possession of airsoft and replica pistols, according to the police.

In Masbate, provincial jail warden Ricardo Bulanon and prison guard Jose Nestor Lazaro were also arrested for violating the election gun ban. An unidentified civilian escort was also arrested in the province, said the police report.

Three persons, one of them had an arrest warrant for murder, were also apprehended in Batangas for violation of the Omnibus Election Code. A civilian was also taken into custody for the same offense in General Santos City.

Espina said those arrested for violation of the gun ban would have to face criminal charges.

Under the law, a penalty of one to six years of imprisonment and disqualification from holding public office awaits those to be found guilty of illegal possession of firearms during the election season, according to Espina.