By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) yesterday announced the gun ban for the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections is scheduled for Saturday, April 14.

BCPO director, Police Senior Superintendent Francisco Ebreo, said the gun ban will coincide with a separate memorandum issued by the Philippine National Police (PNP) that called for the suspension of permits to carry firearms in Barangay Mansilingan as part of security measures for the Panaad sa Negros Festival, which also opens on Saturday.

The BCPO chief said the gun ban will take effect early Saturday morning, at exactly 12:00 midnight, with all police stations in the city randomly setting up checkpoints in their areas of operation.

Ebreo also said, during the period, they would arrest individuals carrying deadly weapons, adding only law enforcement personnel in uniform will be allowed to carry firearms during the period./DGB, WDJ