50 politicians give up guns for PNP safekeeping

DAGUPAN CITY—At least 50 candidates seeking local posts in the Ilocos region have surrendered their licensed guns to the police for safekeeping, a gesture made to assure voters that the May 9 elections would be violence-free, the Ilocos police said.

The police have custody of 79 assorted weapons which were deposited on Jan. 10 by the politicians, some of whom are incumbent government officials seeking reelection, said Chief Supt. Ericson Velasquez, Ilocos regional police director.

Largest arsenal

La Union province politicians turned over 49 firearms, the largest set of arsenal now under police custody, he said, followed by Ilocos Norte province, 13; Ilocos Sur province, 10; and Pangasinan province, 7.

Police in the provinces also confiscated 13 guns and arrested 24 people for possessing unlicensed firearms during the election gun ban. The arrests were made between Jan. 10 and 17.

In Cagayan Valley, the police arrested 16 people, five of whom were caught possessing unlicensed guns, during simultaneous operations conducted in 16 towns and in Tuguegarao City as part of the crackdown on illegal guns.

Searches made on the strength of court warrants in Tuguegarao City, and the towns of Santa Ana, Amulung, Gattaran, Camalaniugan, Gonzaga and Lal-lo yielded unlicensed firearms, as well as illegal drugs, Senior Supt. Ronaldo Olay, Cagayan regional police director, said.

Ten suspects with pending arrest warrants for various crimes were also rounded up on Wednesday in the towns of Peñablanca, Aparri, Baggao, Alcala, Gattaran, Pamplona, Allacapan and Piat, Olay said.

Election ‘hot spots’

In Negros Occidental province, Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. wants five towns in Negros Occidental declared election “hot spots,” citing security concerns.

Marañon declined to identify the towns, saying this was “privileged information,” but gave their locations in the northern and southern parts of the province.

The police are already aware of the matter, he said. Senior Supt. William Señoron, acting head of the police provincial office, said his office was still validating the official’s claim.

 ‘Evolving list’

Señoron sits in the Provincial Joint Security Coordinating Council, which is composed of representatives from the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

As a procedure, the joint security council will have to validate the governor’s request and submit its recommendation to the Comelec regional director, the police officer said.

“It is an evolving list,” he said, adding that “today’s situation may be different tomorrow,” he said. Yolanda Sotelo and Melvin Gascon, Inquirer Northern Luzon; and Carla P. Gomez, Inquirer Visayas