Negros Occidental tops gun ban violators in Western Visayas

Negros Occidental has the highest number of gun ban violators in Western Visayas from August to October since the start of the election period for the coming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE).

Major Rhojn Darrell Nigos, spokesperson of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo), said that 30 gun ban violators in the province have been arrested.

Iloilo province took the second spot on the list with 19 gun ban violators, followed by the cities of Iloilo and Bacolod with 16, Aklan with 11, Capiz with nine, Guimaras with four, and Antique with two.

The Regional Mobile Force Battalion of Police Regional Office-6 (PRO-6) also recorded three gun ban-related arrests, making the grand total of arrests in the region at 110.

Of the number, 104 were civilians, three were security guards, two were jail officers, and one was police personnel, Nigos added.

A total of 78 firearms and 46 bladed weapons were recovered.

Nigos said that police operations in relation to the upcoming election will continue and they are expecting that in those operations, more gun ban violators could be arrested.

Meanwhile, following the arrests due to vote-buying nationwide, Commission on Elections (Comelec)-Negros Occidental provincial supervisor Atty. Ian Lee Ananoria warned BSKE candidates of any illegal activity.

According to Ananoria, vote buying is an election-related offense and appropriate criminal charges will be filed.

He also said that Comelec offices in the province will set up a "Kontra Bigay" complaint desk where concerned citizens can report incidents of vote-buying.*