Police Regional Office-7 Director Brig. Gen. Roque Eduardo Vega. (File photo)
CEBU CITY – As the election period ended on Wednesday, the Police Regional Office (PRO-7) said it has confiscated a total of 1,254 loose firearms and arrested 265 violators of the Commission on Election (Comelec) gun ban.
Brig. Gen. Roque Eduardo Vega, PRO-7 director, said the campaign against loose firearms and gun runners significantly reduced firearms involved in crimes and violence in the region, during the election period.
“The conduct of Comelec checkpoints and chokepoints at strategic areas in the provinces have prevented the movement of gun-for-hires,” Vega said in a statement.
He said the May 9 national and local elections in the region were a success, despite minor hitches in vote-counting machines and allegations of vote-buying.
Vega said no failure of elections was reported in any of the four provinces in Central Visayas.
"It was generally peaceful elections... During the comprehensive security preparations for the national and local elections from January 9 to June 8, 2022, PRO-7 recorded no private armed groups and criminal gangs," he added.
Vega cited a lone election-related incident in Barangay Cabalayongan, Basay town in Negros Oriental, where an incumbent mayor and mayoral bet engaged in a shootout.
Meanwhile, the anti-narcotics campaign of the PRO-7 netted a total of 1,975 police operations against illegal drugs, with three fatalities recorded and the seizure of 51,632.26 grams of shabu and 55,333.40 grams of marijuana valued at PHP357.7 million.
Even though the police were preoccupied with the election-related activities, they arrested 2,706 wanted persons in 2,557 operations they launched against fugitives.
Vega also commended the police for the 2,180 successful illegal gambling operations apprehending 5,323 gamblers, the seizure of bet money amounting to PHP539,481, and the filing of 2,180 cases in court.
Vega said the PRO-7 deployed 10,442 cops to the different polling centers, Comelec facilities, Media Action Centers, and those who were put on standby as Quick Reaction Team for any eventuality. (PNA)
