Cops net another gun ban violator

A former member of the Civil Security Unit of the Mandaue City Hall was arrested yesterday by the elements of the Criminal Intelligence and Detection Group for allegedly violating the Commission of Elections gun ban.

Roberto Arquilla, 49, of barangay Centro, Mandaue City, was arrested by the CIDG operatives following a call from an informant of the presence of an armed man near the Mandaue City Hall.

SPO3 Eduardo Matillano and PO3 Artemio Tumakay, who responded to the alarm, seized from Arquilla's possession a .45 Mark IV Colt loaded with seven ammunitions.

During his arrest, Arquilla was able to present a memorandum receipt for his firearm, but failed to present documents exempting him from the Comelec gun ban.

Inside his detention cell, Arquilla said he was transferred from the Mandaue City Hall Civil Security Unit to the Mandaue City Public Market as market marshal.

Meanwhile, the regional police office has arrested at least 70 violators since the start of the Comelec gun ban's implementation last January 14.

Police records showed that about 14 persons were arrested for carrying firearms without permit from the Comelec in January, while 42 in February. This month, another 14 violators were arrested.

The statistics also showed that from January to March, police seized over 71 firearms, five of which are high-powered, 15 bladed weapons, 422 live ammunitions and one explosive device.

Deputy regional director for administration Sr. Supt. Lani-o Nerez said they are satisfied with the result of their intensive operations against loose firearms.

The arrest of those violators occurred through random checkpoints and during the commission of crimes.

Nerez said the number of arrests is expected to rise further as the Comelec gun ban will expire on June 13, a month after the election. - Flor Z. Perolina/LPM'