Philippines arrests 2,000 for violating election gun ban

Some 2,000 people have been arrested for violating the nationwide gun ban since the start of the mid- term election campaign period on January 14, the Philippine police said on Monday.

Among the arrested, 719 people have been charged for violating the gun ban imposed by the Commission on Elections to prevent poll- related attacks, while over 1,000 cases are still under investigation, an updated report of the Philippine National Police said.

Police seized 1,679 firearms, 59 grenades, 53 improvised explosives and 281 bladed weapons that were held illegally by local people since January, the report added.

At least 125 incidents of violence have been reported since the start of the election campaign period. Among them, 36 were confirmed as election-related incidents, the police said.

More than 30 people, including some candidates and their supporters in the provinces, have been reportedly killed in those election-related attacks. The police said it was still trying to dismiss the so-called private armies of local politicians.

A total of 45 million Filipinos are qualified to vote in the May 14 mid-term polls, in which 17,889 positions in Congress and local governments at stake are being contested by 45,954 candidates, according to the Commission on Elections.

Source: Xinhua