The number of people apprehended for violating the election gun ban rose to 836, the Philippine National Police said on Sunday.
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said over 90 percent of those accosted were civilians.
“We have some personnel of the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines who were also apprehended because they passed by checkpoints without the necessary gun exemptions,” Fajardo said.
She said firearms confiscated from law enforcers were being held temporarily until proof of exemption is presented.
She said several of the apprehended civilians were authorized to carry firearms but their exemptions were still being processed.
“Even if their papers are still being processed, that’s not an excuse to carry firearms outside of their homes. They have to wait for their exemptions so when they arrive at checkpoints, they can present documents that grant them the authority to carry firearms,” she said.
Meanwhile, Fajardo said the PNP would increase the number of deployed personnel as the campaign period for the May 9 national and local elections begins on Tuesday.
“We will deploy twice as many of our personnel. Even our administrative personnel at the national, regional headquarters will be deployed in stations to increase the monitoring force, especially during campaign sorties,” she said.