By Leilanie Adriano | Philippine News Agency
LAOAG CITY – Police authorities in checkpoints in various parts of the Ilocos region have arrested at least 52 election law violators and confiscated about 175 firearms a month since the nationwide gun ban took effect on Jan. 9 to ensure peaceful and orderly polls on May 9.
Based on the regional police report released Friday (Feb. 11), Pangasinan cops arrested 37 persons and confiscated 83 firearms.
In Ilocos Sur, two persons were arrested and 38 firearms were seized, while in La Union, five persons were nabbed and 30 firearms were confiscated.
In Ilocos Norte, four violators were collared and 15 firearms were seized.
In addition, the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit confiscated four firearms from four arrested persons while the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 1 recorded five surrendered firearms.
A total of 277 assorted firearms, mostly from local politician gun owners, were also deposited in the region for safekeeping.
Brig. Gen. Emmanuel B. Peralta, director of Police Regional Office 1 (Ilocos), attributed their latest accomplishment to their heightened campaign to net loose and unregistered firearms that could be used during the election period.
“I ordered our operatives on the ground to intensify police operations against loose and unregistered firearms, especially that the election campaign has already started,” he said.
Meanwhile, Peralta reassigned at least 87 police personnel with relatives vying for political posts and transferred chiefs of police who have been in their post for more than a year to avoid familiarity.
As of this posting, 325 Philippine National Police – Commission on Elections (Comelec) checkpoints have been set up in the region, operating round the clock. (PNA) – bny
