By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan | Philippine News Agency
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday said violators of the gun ban for the May 12 midterm elections have reached 2,105 as of April 1.
The PNP data showed that 2,007 of the violators were civilians, 11 were foreigners, three children in conflict with the law, seven government officials, three elected officials, 36 security guards, 16 PNP personnel, 12 Armed Forces of the Philippines personnel, six from other law enforcement agencies, four Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) Active Auxiliary members, and one communist insurgent.
It added that 2,198 firearms were confiscated in 1,053 police response operations.
Recognizing the number of violators, PNP Chief PGEN. Rommel Francisco Marbil pushed for stricter penalties against those who irresponsibly use firearms.
Marbil earlier proposed a lifetime ban on violators, following a March 30 road rage and shooting incident in Antipolo City that left one rider dead.
“Gun ownership is a privilege, not a right, and those who abuse this privilege by endangering others will face the full force of the law. Whether during the election period or not, we must all uphold responsible firearm ownership to prevent senseless violence,” Marbil said.
He also called on all gun owners to practice utmost patience and restraint, especially in heated situations, emphasizing that anger must never dictate one’s actions when carrying a firearm.
The PNP also said that validated election-related incidents (ERIs) rose to 12 as of April 1.
The latest validated ERI was recorded in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), bringing the area’s total to two, but the PNP has yet to disclose the nature of the incident.
The validated ERIs earlier recorded were five in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM); two in Western Visayas; and one each in Ilocos Region, Zamboanga Peninsula, and SOCCSKSARGEN.
Authorities are still validating two suspected ERIs in BARMM and one in Zamboanga Peninsula.