2 more violators of gun ban arrested
ILOILO City – Two more violators of the Commission on Elections-imposed gun ban in Western Visayas were arrested.
Dante Geronimo was a 54-year-old resident of Barangay Manoc-manoc, Malay, Aklan while Alex Barredo, 24, was from Silay City.
The gun ban started on Oct. 1. Geronimo was caught around 6:15 p.m.
on Oct. 2. He yielded a .38 revolver and a bullet for a .22 revolver.
Geronimo was actually arrested for a theft case. Cops frisking him found the gun.
According to Geronimo, he had no idea there was a gun ban.
Facing charges of illegal gun possession and violation of the gun ban, Geronimo was detained at the police station in Malay.
On the other hand, Barredo was arrested around 4:30 a.m. at a police checkpoint in Barangay 6, Bacolod City. Seized from him was a .38 revolver.
Aside from the gun, cops also found in the suspect’s possession three sachets of suspected shabu.
According to policemen, Barredo tried to ignore the checkpoint and even resisted inspection. He was taken to Police Station 2.
The suspect faces a string of charges: illegal gun possession, gun ban violation, violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and direct assault on persons of authority.
On the day the gun ban was enforced, policemen immediately arrested two violators separately in Iloilo city and province. Charlie Bedoy, 34, was from Barangay San Florentino, San Rafael, Iloilo while Julius Borromeo was a resident of Barangay Lapuz Norte, La Paz, Iloilo City.
Bedoy yielded a 12-gauge shotgun and 10 bullets in Barangay Poblacion, San Rafael while Borromeo was arrested in his house following a quarrel with a brother who subsequently sought the police’s help.
Responding policemen recovered a .38 revolver from Borromeo.
Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office 6, once again reminded Ilonggos that all gun licenses and permits to carry firearm outside of residences have been suspended.
The suspension will last until Oct. 30 in line with the synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections this Oct. 23.
Although the Senate and House of Representatives agreed to postpone the polls for next year, President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to sign the law for the postponement./ PN