Controversial gun ban records first arrest

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Almost a month after its enforcement, the gun ban in the eight towns of the 5th district of Iloilo province recorded its first arrest.

Joint elements of 7th and 8th Mobile Platoon of the Iloilo Provincial Public Safety Company (IPPSC) and the Regional Public Safety Battalion 6 (RPSB6) arrested John Porras at a checkpoint in Aldeguer Street of Sara, Iloilo Tuesday evening.

Porras, 28, of Brgy. Tuble, San Dionisio, Iloilo, yielded a homemade 12-gauge shotgun with two live ammunitions. He was with his wife and child when they were flagged down at a checkpoint. The family came from a party and was on their way home when intercepted.

Porras reasoned out that he was carrying the gun for self-defense, citing an allegedly ongoing family feud that made it necessary for him to carry a firearm.

Superintendent Ranulfo Demiar, chief of the PRO-6 Operations and Plans Division, said Porras’ arrest was proof of loose firearm holders in the area. “In the absence of an order recalling the gun ban, we would still continue its implementation. In fact, we have directed our men in the field to intensify the conduct of checkpoints,” he said.

Demiar suggested that policemen should set up checkpoints both day and night times. Despite opposition, the suspension of the Permit To Carry Firearms Outside of Residence (PTCFOR) already drew support from the five towns.

Exempted from the gun ban are the towns of Barotac Viejo, San Rafael, and Lemery.

First, there was Barotac Viejo which approved a resolution last July 18 supporting the gun ban in the towns of Ajuy, Balasan, Batad, Carles, Concepcion, Estancia, Sara and San Dionisio.

On top of supporting the gun ban, Mayor Niel Tupas III of Barotac Viejo also wanted his town be included in areas covered by the suspension of PTCFOR.

On July 19, the town council of Carles, Iloilo also approved a resolution supporting the gun ban. Similar acts were done by the Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB) in the towns of San Dionisio, San Rafael, and Estancia. - THE FREEMAN