Abra tops list of gun ban violators

THE Province of Abra once again topped the list of gun ban violators in the Cordillera Administrative Region, said the Police Regional Office (PRO).

PRO director Benjamin Magalong said most of the violators in Abra were ordinary citizens, adding more than 20 were apprehended in violation of the election gun ban.

Apart from the apprehensions, Magalong said the number of surrendered firearms is increasing in the province. Some violators were also private guards of known personalities, or those under a certain private armed group in Abra.

He said next to Abra is Benguet, then Baguio City and Kalinga.

As of the first week of February, around 500 persons violated the gun ban order in the country as per records of the Philippine National Police.

The checkpoints and on-the-spot gun check operations from January 15 to February 5 led to the arrest of 524 individuals that include 468 civilians, eight government employees, 10 police and one military personnel, 35 security guards, and one fire bureau personnel.

Policemen also confiscated 464 firearms, 2,422 pieces of ammunition, 16 grenades and six other explosives in the country. Some 122 bladed weapons and eight gun replicas were also seized. (Rubyloida Bitog)