Despite the enforcement of the election gun ban, two cousins were shot early morning of yesterday inside a KTV bar at Brgy. Bolilao, Mandurriao, Iloilo City.

Chief Inspector Efren Lozada, Mandurriao police chief, said that Jomar Elvas, 32, of San Rafael, Iloilo and Jimmy Gohn Elvas, 27, of Mina, Iloilo, are in serious medical condition at the Western Visayas Medical Center.

Jomas was hit on his chest while Jimmy suffered stomach injuries.

The two were on a binge drinking inside the Verg’s KTV Bar when a gray car suddenly came to a halt around 3:00 a.m.

A man seated at the passenger at the front emerged, directly went inside the bar, and readily shot the two victims. 

“He immediately left and boarded the waiting car after the incident,” Lozada said.

Police recovered five empty shells of caliber .45 pistol at the crime scene.

Meanwhile, the Police Regional Office (PRO) VI declared that it would not waver in its campaign against gun ban.

In fact, it would even heighten police visibility and double its efforts in the conduct of checkpoint.

From January 13 to 31, PRO6 reported that 38 persons were arrested for gun ban violation. 

Negros Occidental has most number of violators with 10, Iloilo has nine, Bacolod City has seven, Iloilo City has six, Aklan has three, Antique has two, and Capiz has one.

Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz, Jr., PRO-6 director, said the statistics will continue to rise if people will not heed the campaign.

Among the gun ban violators were a barber, a tanod, security guards, and a rookie cop.

“As said many times, absolute po ang gun ban. Wala po tayong kinikilingan dito. Ang lahat na lalabag nito ay huhulilin at kakasuhan,” he stressed.

A total of 34 firearms were confiscated from various police operations relative to the implementation of the gun ban. Of the number, seven are high-powered firearms and 27 are low-powered.

Six bladed weapons and one grenade were also confiscated.

The cases filed in court have reached 30 with eight others still under investigation.*