PNP: 3,829 arrested for gun ban violations, vote-buying now face charges
COMELEC CHECKPOINT Policemen from Marikina City conduct a checkpoint near Tumana Bridge, April 4, 2022. Comelec checkpoints are set up to implement the poll body’s gun ban and enforce stricter security during the election period. | INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines—At least 3,800 individuals caught for election-related infractions, like gun ban violations and vote buying or vote selling, will now face charges from the Philippine National Police (PNP), acting chief Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. said on Friday (June 10).
In a statement, Danao said that the PNP will continue to provide assistance to the National Prosecution Service by going after the 3,829 violators and providing full investigative reports of the cases against them.
Data from PNP showed that most of the arrested individuals—3,651—violated the election ban on guns. At least 128 violated the liquor ban during the election period while 50 face charges for vote-buying and selling.
Most of those who were arrested were civilians, but 50 policemen and soliders and 61 security guards were also caught.
“While it is rightful to declare the 2022 elections as generally peaceful and orderly, the law must be applied to all those who willfully violated election laws through prohibited acts,” Danao said.
“The law enforcement pillar of the criminal justice system has effectively discharged its function to arrest violators of the law. The next step is to ensure ‘successful prosecution’ of the offenders,” he added.
As of now, 3,436 cases have been filed by the PNP against the election law violators.
In 152 days of the gun ban, the PNP seized at least 2,812 firearms, 17,401 rounds of live ammunition, 140 explosive device and 1,165 bladed deadly weapons.
Danao said he believed that the confiscation of the weapons contributed largely to making the elections peaceful.
“By taking away these instruments of violence, crime, and oppression from the hands of unauthorized individuals, criminal elements and partisan armed groups, the PNP ably ensured safe and secure elections, free from imminent threats to peace,” he said.
“The huge hoard of confiscated firearms, ammunition and explosives alone is enough firepower to arm a sizable force that can pose a very serious threat to peace and security,” he added.
Despite questions from opposition camps about the credibility of the elections, the 2022 national and local elections turned out to be peaceful, with the PNP reporting only 27 election-related cases from January 9 to Election Day. The PNP said that this was significantly lower than the 133 election-related cases in the 2019 elections and 166 in 2010.
READ: AFP, PNP deem conduct of May 9 polls ‘good’, ‘generally peaceful’
However, violence still erupted on Election Day, like the gun attack near a polling precinct in Buluan town, Maguindanao province on May 9, which killed three village watchmen.
On May 8, grenade explosions rocked an area near the town hall of Datu Unsay town, also in Maguindanao.
