- GILBERT BAYORAN
A gun ban is in effect in Bacolod City until Oct. 23, as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, along with other national officials and personalities are set to arrive for the highlights of the 43rd MassKara Festival.
Bacolod City Police Office chief, Col. Thomas Joseph Martir, said the request for a gun ban was approved by Camp Crame, and took effect from Oct. 17 until Oct. 23.
All Permits to Carry Firearms Outside of Residences (PTCFORS) are suspended while the gun ban is in effect.
Only members of the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs), who are on official duties and in agency-prescribed uniforms, will be allowed to carry firearms, as stipulated in the memorandum issued by the PNP hierarchy.
This is to ensure that the MassKara highlights will be free from firearm-related incidents and for the safety of the community, as well as local and foreign tourists, Martir said in a statement.
While the BCPO and Mayor Alfredo Benitez heightened the campaign for a safe crime-free MassKara Festival celebration with the highlights unfolding, Martir said they continue to seek the cooperation of the general public to do their share in making the annual festivity a success.
Benitez yesterday turned over six brand new Mitsubishi Strada vehicles to the BCPO at the Bacolod Government Center grounds, for use by the police force.
These will be deployed to police stations 5, 9, and 10, the Traffic Enforcement Unit, and the Mobile Patrol Unit, Benitez said. “Timing gid para sa highlights sang MassKara,” he added./GPB
