INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
LUCENA CITY — Police arrested a security guard on Tuesday in Bacoor City for violating the gun ban for a plebiscite on July 29 to merge and rename several villages.
Arnulfo Edwin Trinidad was collared at 9:55 a.m. by policemen, after he repeatedly fired a handgun in the air in Barangay San Nicolas l, the Region 4A police said in a report on Wednesday, July 5.
The police reported that the suspect was drunk during the incident.
Authorities seized the handgun loaded with five bullets and brought Trinidad to the police station for proper disposition.
The police started implementing the gun ban on June 28 to prepare for the July 29 plebiscite.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) checkpoints have been placed in strategic parts of the city for the enforcement of the gun ban during the plebiscite period from June 28 to Aug. 5
Also suspended were permits issued by the police to transport firearms, ammunition, explosives, public firearms displays and exhibits, as well as employment of security personnel for important persons.
As a general rule, only bonafide police, military, and members of local government law enforcement agencies in complete uniform, and while on official duty, are allowed to carry firearms during the plebiscite period.
The Comelec issued Resolution 10917 on May 17 for the conduct of the plebiscite.
On March 28, the local government of Bacoor passed City Ordinance 275-2023 to merge 49 barangays into 18 units.
Five other barangays are also set to be renamed as a consequence of the merging.
A plebiscite among the affected villagers is all that is left for the merging to take effect.
Aside from Bacoor City, the police have also been implementing a gun ban in Carmona town since June 8 to prepare for a plebiscite for its proposed cityhood on July 8.
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