2 cops, village chief among 150 nabbed for violating gun ban in Calabarzon

SAN PEDRO CITY – Two police officers and a village chief reelectionist were among 150 people arrested for violating the election gun ban in Calabarzon.

Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, Calabarzon police director, said the 150 arrested violators have been charged in courts.

Richmon Manalo, a police officer assigned in Calaca town in Batangas province was arrested for illegally firing his gun on April 25. Police Officer 2 Leon Garcia II of the Lemery, Batangas police, was arrested on April 27.

On April 30, the police arrested Nestor Ilagan, a reelectionist for village chief of Barangay Nagtoctoc in Lobo town, also in Batangas.

The police implemented a search warrant and recovered several bullets in Ilagan’s possession.

Between April 14 to May 5, the police had confiscated 765 guns and bladed weapons and more than a thousand ammunition, according to a report released by the regional police headquarters on Tuesday.

Eleazar said election candidates, government officials, and private citizens had also turned over 638 firearms to the regional police for safekeeping until the ban, which ends on May 21, is lifted.