A TOTAL of 147 assorted firearms were confiscated and seized by the police in the entire Ilocos region during the election period from January 14 this year, to date.

This was disclosed by Police Regional Director Chief Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil who said the firearms were seized by the police in Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte.

Bataoil believes that there are more firearms, most of which are unlicensed, still in the hands of other civilians in the Ilocos region.

The pro-active raids conducted on suspected members of private armed groups (PAGs) with corresponding search warrants issued by the courts, were done to prevent the firearms from being used by the owners in violent acts during the elections.

All the firearms were presented in a news conference called by Bataoil in Dagupan City Sunday morning, attended by Chief Superintendent Jefferson Soriano, who was designated by Police Director General Oscar Calderon as election supervisor for Region 1.

Bataoil said 103 of these firearms were confiscated by the police from different owners who violated the election gun ban while 44 others were seized in different pro-active raids conducted by the police on houses of suspected members of PAGs.

No PAG was however dismantled or found in any part of the Ilocos region.

At least 162 persons were arrested in all these operations. One hundred nineteen of them are now facing criminal cases before the various courts.

Some of the firearms were seized from civilians in 12,284 checkpoints conducted by the police with the aid of the Regional Mobile Group.

At the same time, the police initiated 119 peace covenants and eight peace rallies among the candidates in order to ensure the holding of honest, orderly and peaceful elections.

espite the peace covenants, however, one city mayor, Julian Resuello of San Carlos City, and his civilian bodyguard were killed, and seven others were wounded.
Three other persons were wounded in barangay Gusing, Naguilian, La Union in a firefight among followers of candidates last week.