THE Philippine National Police (PNP) said over the weekend that civilians still remain the top violators of the election gun-ban being implemented by law enforcement authorities nationwide in a bid to curb violence for the upcoming mid-term election this May.
Figures released over the weekend by the PNP Directorate for Investigative and Detective Management (DIDM) said that around 1,632 individuals have been arrested by police for violations of the election gun-ban since it took effect last January 13.
From the said figures, 1,482 civilians were arrested for election gun-ban violations, followed by 93 security guards; 20 government employees; 20 PNP personnel; 12 military personnel; one jailgaurd and one fireman.
PNP spokesman, Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr., said that those arrested for election gun-ban violation, including police and military personnel, will be charged with violations of the omnibus election code.
The PNP official said the police and military personnel are not exempted from the election gun-ban except if they are on duty and they are in full uniform.
The PNP figures added that since the election gun-ban took effect last January 13, police have already confiscated a total of 1,657 various types of firearms, 69 gun replicas, 467 bladed weapons, 296 explosive devices and 74 grenades.