A top police official said Friday that their efforts to sweep the streets of firearms and dismantle threat groups are on the right track after the Philippine National Police (PNP) has posted a significant increase in gun ban implementation compared to previous polls.

Director General Jesus Verzosa, PNP chief, said they had already surpassed the PNP’s own record on operational accomplishments for the first 15 days of the gun ban implementation since January 10 this year, compared to the same period in previous elections.

“Comparative analysis of results of operation this year showed an increase of 47.61 percent in the number of arrested persons and 53.52 percent increase in confiscated firearms compared with the results of operation during the first 15 days of the election security operations for the 2004 elections,” said Verzosa.

Latest update revealed that a total of 508 persons were arrested since the gun ban implementation took effect on January 10 this year — 39 of them are cops, 25 are soldiers, 30 of them are government officials while the rest are civilians.

A total of 430 firearms were seized in several checkpoints areas across the country, apart from the 729 gun replicas, 67 bladed weapons and 15 explosives.

Aside from gun ban violators, checkpoints manned by policemen and soldiers have also netted wanted persons, criminal elements and communist insurgents, said Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina, PNP spokesman.

"Checkpoint operations are not entirely against gun ban violators alone. These security measures are also in support of ongoing campaigns against loose firearms, wanted persons, and organized crime groups," said Espina.

But both Verzosa and Espina said the PNP has still to do more in order to ensure a peaceful conduct of elections next year, not only in the field of police and military operations but also in partnership with other groups.

This Saturday morning, an estimated 1,000 police and military personnel will run alongside 100 Catholic priests, Muslim Imams and other leaders of religious congregations in a covenant run for clean and orderly elections.

Dubbed “Takbo Para sa Malinis, Maayos at Mapayapang Halalan 2010” the unity run will be headed by Verzosa and his military counterpart, General Victor Ibrado, the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).