Metro cops apprehend 9 people for violating gun ban

As of 8 a.m. Sunday, nine people have been apprehended for violating the Commission on Elections’ gun ban, which took effect Saturday midnight, a police report said. In a text message to reporters on Sunday morning, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said that as of 8 a.m. (eight hours after the enforcement of the gun ban) nine have been apprehended, mostly police elements in civilian clothes but were carrying firearms. The report said that the National Police Department apprehended Eman B. Perez for carrying a cal.45 Armscor pistol with a magazine loaded with 12 ammunition and Leopold Z Francisco with cal. 9mm Beretta and 2 magazines loaded with 31 ammunition. Meanwhile, the Manila Police District yielded 1 Glock cal. 40 pistol and 1 Sigsauer cal. 9mm pistol from Atty. Tecson John Lim y So. The Southern Police District flagged down SPO1 William Rongquillo carrying Glock cal. 9mm pistol; PO1 Aldrin Almanzar with cal. 45 Norinco; Navy soldier Michael Bashan with 9mm Norinco; and Juan Carlos Maglaque with auto electric airsoft replica of an AK 47. Also, operatives of the Quezon City Police District apprehended PO1 Dennis Quinto carrying Armscor cal.45 pistol; and Rhogel Gutierrez with Taurus cal. 45 pistol. The NCRPO report quoted Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa as saying that so far, 14 people have been apprehended in Metro Manila in connection with the Comelec gun ban. Before dawn on Sunday, cops manning a checkpoint on Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City held Rodel Gutierrez, 30, after finding a cal-.45 pistol in his car. Police told Gutierrez that while he had a license and permit to carry firearms outside residence for his cal-.45 pistol, the Comelec gun ban renders such license moot during the election period. - LBG, GMANews.TV