1,695 gun ban violators nabbed

MANILA, Philippines — Police have arrested 1,695 people for allegedly violating the nationwide election gun ban.

In a report released yesterday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said 1,631 of the violators are civilians.

The other offenders are 26 security guards, 15 PNP members, nine military personnel and 14 from other sectors.

Among the violators was Rey Lumasag, 45, a suspected gunrunner who was arrested during an entrapment operation in front of the Paco Park in Manila on Monday.

Col. Randy Glenn Silvio, who heads the National Capital Region field unit of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, said Lumasag allegedly sold an improvised shotgun for P2,500 to a CIDG officer who posed as a buyer.

Silvio said 1,322 firearms, 543 bladed weapons, 65 explosives and 7,320 bullets were confiscated by police in 1,575 law enforcement operations across the country.

The PNP said 607 of the gun ban violators are from Metro Manila.

The other regions on the top five in terms of gun ban violators are Calabarzon with 186; Central Visayas, 181; Central Luzon, 171, and Western Visayas, 88.

The gun ban started on Jan. 9 and will end on June 8.