A total of 140 individuals in Misamis Oriental were apprehended during the first day of the implementation of the Commission On Election’s gun ban checkpoint operations.
This was disclosed by Police Lt. Col. Mardy Hortillosa ll, 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC) commander whose men were the ones manning the simultaneous checkpoints all across the 2nd district of the said province.
Dubbed as One Time, Big Time operations, Hortillosa said all the violators were just advised to continue their destination after they were issued Ordinances Violation Report (OVR) and Citation Ticket.
“This is to ensure and intensify election security operations as the election period starts for national and local elections,” Hortillosa said.
The commander said five simultaneous Comelec checkpoints were established with 40 personnel deployed as of January 13 for police interdiction operations and gun ban violations imposed by the Comelec.
He also urged the public to cooperate with authorities at the checkpoints.
He said their unit had promised to uphold the basic rights of the people and assured that the police personnel will observe policies and procedures during checkpoint operations.
Hortillosa added that at the checkpoints motorists and all kinds of vehicles are advised to prepare their driver's license, OR/CR, slow down their vehicles, dim their headlights and turn on their cabin lights during nighttime and answer promptly if asked by police authorities.
“I have also reminded our personnel to be courteous at all times to passersby and to adhere to the general guidelines prescribed in our Revised Police Operational Procedures,” he further stated.
It was learned under the Comelec’s guidelines carrying of firearms and other deadly weapons and explosives, as well as its transportation, is strictly prohibited from the start of the election period on January 9 until its end on June 8.
Stricter penalties ranging from one year to 12 years imprisonment will be meted to all violators in accordance to Comelec Resolution 10728.
