Over 300 firearms seized under gun ban

CEBU, Philippines - More than 300 firearms were confiscated by different units of the Police Regional Office-7 since the start of the Commission on Elections gun ban until the Election Day.

 Deputy Regional Director for Operations Senior Superintendent Rey Lyndon Lawas said 329 firearms were confiscated through their police anti-crimes strategies while they were able to arrest 300 individuals.

 The Comelec gun ban started January 10 and will last until June 8.  The police anti-crimes strategies, which aim to achieve a peaceful election, composed of service of search warrants and warrants of arrest, surrendered firearms, buy-bust operations, Kontra Boga and checkpoint. 

The accomplishment report of the Cebu Provincial Police Office shows that it has the highest number of accomplishments among the seven other police units in the region with 215 firearms seized from January 10 to May 9.

 "The Cebu Province is the highest considering the police stations they have… the conduct of patrol and checkpoints," Lawas said.

 The CPPO is followed by the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) with 53 firearms confiscated; Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) with 19; Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB)-7 with 16; Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) with 13; Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO) with 11; and Siquijor Provincial Police Office (SPPO) with two firearms.

 Lawas said Chief Superintendent Patrocinio Comendador Jr., director of PRO-7, gave him directives on Wednesday to analyze their performance and study the areas where they failed.

 "The directive of RD as of yesterday (Wednesday) is we try to analyze and assist our performance as far as police operation is concern and try to study where we  fail or we lack so we  could further enhance," he said.

 Lawas added they will continue with the implementation of their anti-crimes strategies to further downgrade the crime incidents in Central Visayas. 

 "We will aim to decrease the crime incidents, particularly those prevalent crimes like robbery," he said. Lawas added that after Election Day, the full alert status in Region 7 has been downgraded to heightened alert. — (FREEMAN)