The Cavite Provincial Police Office rounded up 80 loose firearms and other potential instruments of violence as it enforced the gun ban in the run-up to May's midterm election.

From February 27 to March 10, 52 were given up by their owners due to expired licenses and 28 were confiscated in checkpoints, search warrant and buy-bust operations.

These include 42 .45-caliber pistols; 19 .38-caliber revolvers; eight pieces caliber 9mm pistols; three pieces .40-caliber pistols; four shotguns; two .22-caliber revolvers; one piece 7.62 rifle; and one submachine gun.

Chief Superintendent Edward Carranza, Calabarzon regional police director, said the most prominent personality during the confiscation is the barangay captain of Dasmarinas City.

“In these search warrants the most prominent personality involved is barangay captain Jaime Hembrador in Dasmarinas City for poking his firearms to his constituents,” Carranza said in a press conference in Camp Crame.

Asked if there are politicians who surrendered their firearms or got confiscated, Carranza did not divulge any names.

“We have informed them we are keeping these for safekeeping until they renewed their firearms. They will be in the possession of the PNP,” he said.

In the same briefing, PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde said the confiscation represents the PNP’s intensified campaign on gun ban, and recovery of loose firearms to reduce the risks for the May elections

“This cache include confiscated, seized, recovered and surrendered firearms with delinquent registration, and other loose firearms confiscated from unauthorized individuals thru search warrant, checkpoint , and anti-criminality operations,” said Albayalde in a press conference in Camp Crame.

“These confiscated firearms represent our ongoing intensified campaign on gun ban, and recovery of loose firearms to reduce the risk factors for the coming national and local elections,” he added.

Albayalde said he expects all PNP regional offices to intensify their law enforcement operations.

“By taking away these instruments of violence from the hands of unauthorized individuals and criminal elements, we are making proactive steps to mitigate the possibility of involvement of these firearms in criminal activity and election-related violence,” said Albayalde.

The gun ban began January 13 and will last until June 12. Ella Dionisio/DMS