(Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer file photo)
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said checkpoint operations from August 28 to November 29 resulted in the arrest of 2,672 individuals, more than a thousand more than the 1,509 recorded in 2018.
“Mas mataas ngayon yung naaresto, same with the confiscated firearms noong 2018 ay nakakumpiska tayo ng 1,298 and for this 2023 BSKE ay mas mataas yung ating nakumpiskang baril nasa 2,087,” Fajardo said in a press briefing.
(The number of apprehended violators is higher this year, and the same is true for confiscated firearms. In 2018, the seized guns reached 1,298, but for the 2023 BSKE, the figure climbed to 2,087.)
The implementation of the gun ban ended today (November 29), and during the 94 days, the PNP likewise revealed that individuals with expired licenses surrendered about 2,241 firearms, while others deposited 2,753 for safekeeping.
Meanwhile, the number of violent incidents during the election period also increased to 331 — 105, five of which are election-related, five are suspected, and the others were confirmed to be non-election related.
Most of the poll-related cases occurred in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with 57, followed by Northern Mindanao with 15, and Western Visayas and Ilocos region with six cases each.