FOUR more firearms were seized on Sunday and Monday as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) continues to impose gun ban in the province, a top police official said.
Negros Occidental police spokesman Police Chief Inspector Rico Santotome Jr. said elements of the 4th Maneuver Platoon of the Negros Occidental Provincial Public Safety Management Company (NOPPSMC) arrested Mark Ian Aligen, 22, in Barangay Dulao in Bago City for possessing a caliber .22 revolver in a checkpoint operation on Sunday.
Aligen was arrested along with Jerome Robles and Ramil Duran, all residents of Barangay San Jose in Binalbagan town, who were onboard their Honda motorcycle.
Police Inspector Leo Canag, platoon leader of the 4th Platoon of the NOPPSMC, said the three suspects were about to stage a heist in the area prior to their arrest.
Meanwhile, Ronald Meriamen, 39, a resident of Barangay Magsaysay in Escalante City, was collared by personnel of the 62nd Infantry Battalion led by First Lieutenant Alex Raposon after a caliber 45 pistol with seven rounds of live bullets were seized from his possession during the annual fiesta of Sitio Pula in Sagay City.
Likewise, Joel Rallos, 27, of Barangay San Antonio in Himamaylan City, was arrested by Kabankalan City Police personnel led by Police Inspector Nerito Lobrido at a fiesta in Sitio Bayhao, Barangay Camansi in the city.
Rallos was nabbed for possessing a caliber 45 pistol with serial number 791357 and with seven rounds of live ammunition in violation of Comelec gun ban.
In Silay City, Police Superintendent Jerry Bartolome led the arrest of Jajjie Abellar for violating the firearms ban in Tierra Feliza in Barangay Lantad of the city on Monday.
Bartolome said Abellar was wanted for the crime of robbery and after an arrest warrant was served the subject, a subsequent search yielded a caliber 38 revolver with three rounds of live ammunition.
The suspects are currently in detained with the PNP readying the filing of appropriate charges against them for violation of the gun ban.
The recent arrests brought to 19 the number of suspects arrested for violating the Comelec gun ban in Negros Occidental since the start of the election period last month.
Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office (Noppo) director Police Senior Superintendent Manuel Felix was elated with the progress of Noppo's campaign against the proliferation of firearms ban and lauded efforts of the PNP and Philippine Army personnel in ensuring of orderly and peaceful polls in May.