BAGUIO CITY – With the election gun ban in force, the International Police (Interpol) put out an alert for police in this city to guard against the proliferation of stun guns that resemble batons and may be lethal.

In a memorandum circulated among Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) stations, the stun gun’s description was detailed to familiarize policemen and warn them against its capacity to fatally electrocute a person.

Experts said the gadget is an electric-powered machine which can immobilize a person from an electric shock or even knock a person unconscious.

The memo also said there are compact versions of the stun gun that look like big mobile phones.

Senior Superintendent Agripino Javier, BCPO director, said Philippine National Police (PNP) guidelines classify a shock baton or stun gun as a regulated device.

Agripino said he has already ordered his personnel manning checkpoints against gun ban violators to look out for stun guns or shock devices and confiscate them.