Over 30 firearms seized 4 days after gun ban

Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr. INQUIRER.NET FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Over 30 firearms were confiscated four days after the implementation of the Commission on Elections total gun ban, a Philippine National Police official said Thursday.

Since the gun ban rule was implemented last Sunday, a total of 35 firearms—12 high-powered, and 23 low-powered—have been confiscated throughout the country for violations to the rule implemented by Comelec in preparation for the upcoming midterm elections, Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr. said.

Police also seized six hand grenades and 12 unspecified bladed items, he said.

“Base sa breakdown, the highest share was from Region IV-A with 7, followed by NCRPO [National Capital Region Police Office] with 6, then Region VI with 5,” Cerbo said.

As to arrested individuals, Cerbo said PNP has recorded 46 arrests, of which includes 3 government officials. Their names, however, were not immediately available, but were said to have been from Regions I and V.

“Although it is sad to note [that we are being outwitted . . . we are expecting to have a positive impact . . . we expect the crime volume to go down compared with the same period,” Cerbo said, but added that the problem is not with the information drive of concerned agencies such as the PNP and Comelec.

He said they are satisfied with the public information drive on the gun ban in the media as he deplored that some people are just stubborn,” Cerbo said.