3,631 gun ban violators arrested

MANILA, Philippines — Up to 3,631 people were arrested nationwide for violating the election gun ban, which ended yesterday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported.

The PNP said it conducted 3,416 law enforcement operations since the gun ban was implemented at the start of the election period on Jan. 9.

Twenty-eight of those apprehended are PNP members while 22 are military personnel.

The PNP said 3,493 of the gun ban violators are civilians, 61 are security guards and 27 from other sectors.

On Tuesday, John Carl Sinaquita was arrested at a security checkpoint in Barangay Poblacion C in Rosario, Batangas for possession of a .45-caliber handgun, according to a police report.

PNP data showed that 1,241 or 34.17 percent of the violators are from Metro Manila.

The other regions with the most number of violators are Central Visayas with 298; Calabarzon, 389; Central Luzon, 244, and Western Visayas, 218.

Police confiscated 2,795 firearms, 161 gun replicas, 1,160 bladed weapons, 140 explosives and 17,345 bullets.