ILOILO CITY, Iloilo, Philippines — The League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)-Iloilo, along with the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) has unanimously voted for a recall of the gun ban in northern Iloilo.

Both LMP-Iloilo and the PPOC are urging Dir. Gen. Raul Bacalzo, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), “to recall the arbitrary and capricious suspension of the permits to transport and carry firearms outside of residence.”

C/Supt. Cipriano Querol Jr., PNP regional director, imposed last week a gun ban in eight towns in Iloilo’s fifth district covering the towns of Ajuy, Balasan, Batad, Carles, Concepcion, Estancia, San Dionisio, and Sara for alleged lawlessness and proliferation of illegal firearms.

This week, Querol gave new orders for more towns in the district, namely, Barotac Viejo, Lemery and San Rafael, to be likewise covered by said gun ban.

Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr., along with the Iloilo mayors, considered Querol’s order as “bereft of any factual, realistic, and logical basis, and its motive appears to be highly suspicious.”

LMP-Iloilo president, Anilao Mayor Ma. Teresa Debuque, disclosed that said collective decision by herself and her confreres in the LMP-Iloilo, along with the PPOC to ask the regional PNP director to recall his gun ban order was made after data from Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) showed a decrease of crime rate in Iloilo.