PHVOTE 2013

MANILA, Philippines - The Army on Wednesday evening, January 23, seized a vehicle loaded with 12 high-powered firearms at a checkpoint in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur.

Lt. Col. Ralph-Raul Sespeñe of the 65th Infantry Batallion said that a sports utility vehicle with no plate number tried to evade the checkpoint installed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the city.

The checkpoint was among those set up by Comelec to implement the election gun ban that took effect last January 13.

Flagged down for inspection, the vehicle yielded 12 high-powered firearms, which include:

• a SAW minimi 5.56 rifle
• a SAR galil rifle
• a 7.62mm M14 rifle
• four baby armalite 5.56mm M653 rifle with M203 grenade
• two 5.56mm M16 rifle
• one cal .308 rifle
• one 9 mm machine rifle
• one US 12 gauge shotgun

The persons aboard the vehicle, identified as Muslimin Binao Ali and Junaid Ali, were arrested and brought to the batallion headquarters. The vehicle and firearms were also brought to the headquarters.

According to a report from SunStar.com, the Philippine National Police has already arrested 154 individuals for violating the ban.

Comelec Resolution 9561-A, which sets the gun ban for this year's polls, states that violators will face one to 6 years imprisonment and will be sentenced to "suffer permanent disqualification to hold public office and deprivation of the right of suffrage."

The ban will be lifted on June 12. - Rappler.com