POLICE Regional Office 6 Director Isagani Cuevas warned against the proliferation of spurious gun ban exemption permits circulated by unscrupulous individuals nationwide.
Cueva’s statement was relative to the early warning on the matter issued by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Jesus Versoza.
Such maybe the reason why cases of gun ban violations continue to balloon as the country moves closer to the May 10, 2010 national and local elections, said Cuevas.
In Western Visayas, 93 of these cases are now filed in court out of the 133 violators.
This statistics is part of the record of the PNP National Headquarters of 1,145 violators of the election gun ban since January 10, 2010 when the nationwide prohibition on firearms took effect, the office of Cuevas reported.
Arrested persons will be charged for violation of Comelec Resolution 8740, which prohibits the carrying of firearms, explosives and deadly weapons during the 150-day election period.
Cuevas said information reaching the PNP National Headquarters that fake Comelec Permit to Carry Firearms Outside of Residence (PTCFOR) purportedly issued by the Comelec Committee on the Ban of Firearms and Security Personnel (CBFSP) bearing the forged signature of Commissioner Tagle was allegedly sourced from a certain Francisco Tan Jr. who sold the permit at P5,000 apiece.
Cuevas said that has already instructed all provincial and city police offices and Public Safety Management Companies to verify the PTCFOR of anyone they encounter during checkpoint or in any police operations.