2025 poll gun ban violators hit 2,105 — PNP

GUN CHECK Police inspect vehicles at a Commission on Elections checkpoint along Tapuac Road in Dagupan City, Pangasinan, on Jan. 12, at the start of the election gun ban. — INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / WILLY LOMIBAO

MANILA, Philippines — The number of people violating the election period gun ban reached 2,105 as of April 1, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.

PNP data showed that 2,007 of the violators were civilians, of whom 11 were foreigners while three were children in conflict with the law.

Seven of the violators were elected government officials and another two were appointed government officials.

Thirty-six violators were security guards while 16 were PNP personnel and six were members of the military. Another six were personnel of other law enforcement agencies and four were Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit active auxiliary members. One was an alleged member of a communist terrorist group.

The National Capital Region recorded the most violators with 693, followed by Central Visayas (287), Central Luzon (286), and Calabarzon (184).

The violators were arrested in 1,053 police response operations, 369 anti-illegal drug operations, 161 checkpoint operations, 138 gun buy-bust operations, and 384 other law enforcement operations.

READ: Gun ban starts January 12 as election period begins – PNP

The arrests resulted in the confiscation of 2,198 firearms — among them 860 revolvers, 615 pistols, 84 replica firearms, 41 Class A firearms, five Class B firearms, 19 airsoft guns, 17 shotguns, 16 rifles, 472 other types of firearms and nine unknown types of firearms — as well as 60 explosives.

The PNP reported conducting 564,383 Commission on Elections (Comelec) checkpoint operations since the election period started on Jan. 12.

READ: PNP on heightened alert for start of local campaign period

The update on the gun ban came days after the start of the local campaign period on March 28.

The PNP previously said it was on heightened alert for the local campaign period as well as the end of the school year and the upcoming Holy Week.

READ: PNP eyes lifetime ban on firearms use for gun ban violators

PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil on Monday said he was looking into imposing a lifetime ban on election gun ban violators, following a road rage and shooting incident that left one dead in Antipolo City.