Police lift gun ban in Samar

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

PALO, Leyte -- A top police official defended the lifting of gun ban in Samar, which is gearing for possible recall elections, saying peace and order situation in the province has "improved".

The lifting of the gun ban all over Samar province was earlier declared by Regional Police Director Arnold Revilla on November 13, almost seven months after it was imposed.

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Senior Superintendent Elizar Egloso, police regional information officer, said the lifting of the gun ban was due to the "improved peace and order condition" in Samar.

The lifting of the gun ban came at the time the local offices of the Commission on Elections in the province are holding the verification of signatures of the more than 73,000 voters attached to the recall bid of Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan and her younger brother Vice Governor Stephen James Tan.

Egloso said if ever recall elections would be held in Samar, a security plan would be put into place to ensure that the conduct of the elections would be peaceful and orderly.

Egloso said since the gun ban was imposed in Samar province, there were no reported major incidents related to the killing of Uy.

In fact, police authorities in Samar were not able to seize any loose or unlicensed firearms from any individuals during the imposition of the gun ban, Egloso said.

But while the gun ban was lifted, all police units in the entire Samar province were directed by Revilla to always remain vigilant and sustain the conduct of checkpoints, beat and mobile patrol and "other police interventions to control the proliferation of loose firearms and to prevent further senseless killings" in the province.

The gun ban was imposed across Samar province as an offshoot on the killing of Calbayog City Mayor Reynaldo Uy on May 1 of this year.

Hours after Uy was gunned down by his assailants, the police authorities imposed the gun ban as a way to avoid possible escalation of violence in Samar.

While there were two suspects identified by some witnesses who were said to have carried out the killing of Uy inside a covered court in Hinabangan town, also in Samar, they have yet to be arrested and no criminal charges were filed in court due to the incident.

The family of Uy, together with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, has put a P2-million reward for those who could identify and lead to the arrest of the suspects and the masterminds. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)