Two teens add to number of gun ban violators

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Two teenagers were added to the list of election gun ban violators in Western Visayas.

The two suspects were arrested in separate occasions evening of Feb 13, 2022.

The suspects were identified as Regie Castillo, 19, of Barangay Tanza Esperanza, City Proper, Iloilo City and Paulo Apostol, 18, a construction worker and resident of Barangay Dinginan, Roxas City, Capiz.

Both suspects, though, were not arrested with a firearm. Instead, they were caught carrying a deadly weapon, which is still prohibited under the gun ban rules.

Members of the Iloilo City Police Station 1 and force multipliers were conducting a saturation drive when they nabbed Castillo around 9:20 p.m. Sunday at Barangay Wilson, City Proper district.

The suspect looked uneasy and ran away from the police operatives.

While running, he was seen pulling a knife and throwing it to the roadside.

Police later caught up with him at Tanza Esperanza village.

Meanwhile, Apostol was arrested 10:30 p.m. at Paseo de Roxas, Barangay VIII, Roxas City.

Members of Roxas City Police Station and Bantay Bayan were on foot patrol when they caught the suspect with a knife.

Latest reports from the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) indicated that 61 persons were arrested since the gun ban started on January 9.

Negros Occidental province accounted for almost half of the arrests with 25.

Iloilo province arrested 11; Bacolod City with 7; Aklan with six 6; Iloilo City with five; Capiz with four; Antique with two; and Guimaras with one.