By Annabel Consuelo Petinglay/Philippine News Agency
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique — The Antique Provincial Police Office (APPO) has reminded the public that the gun ban is still in effect since it is still election period.
APPO Deputy Director for Operations, Lt. Col. Norby Escobar, said in an interview Monday that the police is still conducting random checks because of the implementation of the gun ban, which started on January 13 and will end on June 12.
Escobar said that since the start of the election period on January 13, they have netted a total of 30 gun ban violators, although most of them were found to be in possession of bladed weapons. The violators were arrested in police checkpoints or during a police response.
Meanwhile, Escobar said that for the liquor ban on the eve of the election period, personnel of the Pandan Police Station, headed by its chief Capt. Bryan Alamo, were able to arrest two people.
“The owner of the sari-sari store, aside from the two consumers, was also then arrested for selling the alcoholic drink,” he said.
Escobar added that on Election Day, they were able to contain vote buying activities by some candidates and their supporters due to the maximum presence of the police.
“We also have the anti-vote buying task force operated before the May 13 election day,” he said, adding that since it has been a week since the election, he is appealing to the supporters of both the defeated and winning candidates to refrain from discussing the occurrences during the election process to avoid heated arguments.
“To the candidates and their supporters, let us move on now,” Escobar said.
He said candidates who lost in the mid-term election should have the grace to accept their defeat.
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