Over 1,023 individuals have been seized by the Philippine National Police (PNP) for violating the gun ban mandated by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) as of February 18.
According to PNP's latest report, suspects were primarily civilians, numbering a total of 973 individuals. However, among the violators are also uniformed personnel such as 22 security guards, 5 officers of the PNP, and 7 from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). There were also two government officials and four foreign nationals found violating the election ban.
More than 100 of the suspects were caught at checkpoints, and the rest were apprehended during legitimate police operations, according to a report by Edniel Parrosa.
Most were arrested in Metro Manila, followed by Central Luzon and Central Visayas.
Public Information Chief Police Col. Randulf Tuaño said 1,019 firearms have been confiscated from the arrested.
In an endeavor to reduce violence during the election period, the COMELEC Resolution 11067 imposed a gun ban which took effect on January 12.
Since then, over 267,000 checkpoints have been scattered across the country.
The gun ban ends on June 11.
