INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO——A total of 33 people have died and 47 others have been arrested in Central Luzon as police enforce the gun ban for the May 2019 elections, a police official said on Friday.
Killed were gun ban violators who engaged police officers in shootouts while evading checkpoints set up by the Central Luzon police from Jan. 13 to 24, Chief Supt. Joel Coronel said in a statement.
At least 83 firearms have been confiscated in the region since the gun ban was imposed through Commission on Elections Resolution No. 10446. The firearms included four grenades, Coronel said.
Coronel vowed “no let up” of preemptive measures as security preparations for the May polls.
“I appeal to the public to cooperate with us so that we will have a smooth sailing election period especially in the implementation of our security protocols …, ” Coronel said.
He also urged the public to report irregularities by Central Luzon police./lzb