PRO-6 warns vs fun shoots during election period

By Jennifer P. Rendon 

The Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 warned against the conduct of fun shoots or shoot fests or similar activities during the election period.

Lieutenant Colonel Arnel Solis, PRO-6 spokesperson, said the gun ban enforcement is one of the salient points of the election period, which started Jan 9 and will run until June 8, 2022.

“As a general rule, carrying and transporting of firearms and other deadly weapons is prohibited. Since licenses are revoked for the said period, the holding of shoot fest or similar activities are deemed prohibited,” he said.

Under Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution No. 10728 promulgated on Nov. 10, 2021, “no person shall bear, carry or transport firearms or other deadly weapons outside his/her residence or place of business, and in all public places, including any building, street, park, private vehicle or public conveyance, even if he/she is licensed or authorized to carry the same, unless authorized in writing by the Commission, through the Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns (CBFSC).”

And yes, the prohibition includes the use of air guns and airsoft guns.

Solis admitted having received reports of uploaded Facebook videos of what appeared to be a “firing activity” where an air gun was used.

A few days later, the same persons again held another firing activity, but this time around, they used the hashtag #latepost.

“We will investigate ang FB post na nag firing even without formal complaint to determine other necessary facts like diin gin-conduct, sin-o ang mga nagparticipate, and when was it held,” he said.

The late post hashtag might have just been used to negate insinuations that they had a gun-firing activity during the election period.

As of January 31, PRO-6 recorded 48 persons arrested for alleged election gun ban violation.

Negros Occidental province accounted for almost half of the arrests with 18.

On the other hand, Iloilo province arrested 8; Bacolod City and Aklan with six each; Iloilo City with four; Antique with three; Capiz with two; and Guimaras with one.