27 persons nabbed for flouting liquor ban

MANILA, Philippines - At least 27 persons were arrested in Caloocan City and Navotas for allegedly violating the election-related liquor ban, which started at midnight Sunday and ended at midnight last night.

Superintendent Rio Gatacilo, Northern Police District (NPD) public information office chief, said that 23 of the offenders were arrested in Navotas while four others were nabbed in Bagong Barrio in Caloocan.

No violators were reported in Malabon and Valenzuela, he said.

“Our local authorities and the police were never remiss in reminding residents about the liquor ban for we really wanted a peaceful election, but many remain adamant,” Gatacilo said.

He said that Roel Castelo, 45; Froilan Gabaya, 48; Roberto Galvez, 61; and Rosendo Manansala Jr., 45, were apprehended at around 11 a.m. Sunday in Barangay 153, Bagong Barrio.

In Navotas City, police nabbed Alvin Ronquillo, 28; Marlon Enriquez, 20; Noliber Faustino, 25; Joey Casaje, 27; Robert Paet, 26; and Edward Isidro, 26, at about 10:15 p.m. Sunday in Barangay Tangos.

At 1:30 a.m. yesterday, eight other liquor ban violators were apprehended in Barangay North Bay Boulevard South. Nine more were caught in Barangay NBBS at around 2 a.m.

Gatacilo said the overall conduct of elections in Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela (Camanava) was “generally peaceful.”

He attributed it to the “early and effective planning and deployment of adequate personnel” to secure Camanava’s 255 villages.

Some 1,600 police officers and soldiers were deployed under the supervision of NPD director Senior Superintendent Edgardo Ladao to maintain peace and order in 3,954 polling precincts under the NPD’s jurisdiction.