A TOTAL of 114 banned weapons were confiscated and 33 civilians were arrested around Eastern Visayas after an 11-day operation of the Philippine National Police (PNP) for a safe and peaceful midterm elections this year.

The seized weapons include 52 ammunition, 27 bladed weapons, 13 units of firearms that include five units of caliber .45 pistol, four units of caliber .38 revolver and one unit each of caliber .22 pistol and 5.56

revolver.

Also retrieved during checkpoints were improvised gun and homemade gun (deholen) and marbles used for holen gun, four magazines, two units each of cartridge case and sling bag, and one empty shell for caliber .45 pistol.

“I am thankful for the continued support we had received from the community. Let us continue helping one another to achieve a safer election this coming May 13,” said PNP Regional Director Dionardo Carlos.

Meanwhile, the 33 arrested civilians were from Leyte (19), Northern Samar (4), Samar (4), Eastern Samar (2), Biliran (1), Southern Leyte (1), Tacloban (1), and Ormoc (1).

The cases of the apprehended persons include violations of BP Blg. 6 (An Act Reducing the Penalty for Illegal possession of bladed, pointed or blunt weapons, and for other purposes), Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive firearms and ammunition regulation act), frustrated murder, alarm and scandal, violation of Section 261 of Paragraph Q of Omnibus Election Code (Carrying firearms outside residence or place), and murder.

A total of 21,010 PNP personnel along with the Philippine Army conducted the operations across the region from March 29 to April 8. (SunStar Philippines)