2,691 gun ban violators held

MANILA, Philippines — Up to 2,691 people have been arrested nationwide for violating the election gun ban, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported yesterday.

The PNP said 2,589 of those arrested are civilians, 44 security guards, 17 military personnel and 16 police officers. Twenty-five others were not identified.

Police have conducted 2,568 law enforcement operations since the gun ban was implemented on Jan. 9.

At least 2,051 firearms, 893 bladed weapons, 103 explosives and 10,889 bullets were confiscated.

The PNP said 1,004 of the violators are from Metro Manila followed by 309 in Calabarzon, 279 in Central Visayas, 257 in Central Luzon and 153 in Western Visayas.

In Rizal, the municipal government of Taytay is offering a reward to anyone who can give information leading to the arrest of the killer of a staff member of the mayor’s office.

Fhel Malaqui was shot several times in Barangay Sta. Ana yesterday.

“We are asking our residents to coordinate with authorities if you know who was responsible for Fhel’s killing,” Mayor George Ricardo Gacula II said. ”We are ready to give a reward of P300,000 to anyone who can provide information about their whereabouts so they can be arrested and made accountable for their wrongdoing.