𝗜𝗟𝗢𝗜𝗟𝗢 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗬 – A businessman from Iloilo City has become the first person in Western Visayas to violate the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) gun ban, which officially began today as part of preparations for the May 2025 elections.
The arrested individual was identified as Ryan Anthony Jugao Soliva, 41, a high school graduate and resident of Barangay Tabuc Suba, Jaro, Iloilo City. According to Police Captain Gimel Acuesta, chief of Iloilo City Police Station 9, the incident occurred after Soliva drove his pickup truck into a stall selling bibingka (rice cakes) outside Jaro Plaza, near the Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral, in Barangay Seminaryo, Jaro.
Captain Acuesta shared with Bombo Radyo that the driver’s actions seemed intentional as he purposefully drove into the vendor’s stall. Upon responding to the scene, authorities discovered firearms in plain view in the driver’s seat.
A lawful search was conducted in front of his girlfriend and the media, resulting in the recovery of two Smith & Wesson Springfield caliber 9mm pistols, each with a magazine and 16 rounds of ammunition, as well as an Armalite M15A2 rifle with eight magazines and 251 rounds of ammunition.
Soliva was unable to present any legal documents proving that the firearms were licensed.
He is currently in custody at Iloilo City Police Station 9 and is facing multiple charges, including violation of the COMELEC gun ban under Resolution No. 11067, and violation of Republic Act No. 10591, or the “Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.”
Additionally, due to his reckless driving that caused damage to the bibingka stall, Soliva may face further charges of reckless imprudence resulting in damage to property and slight physical injuries.
-𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗕𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗼 𝗝𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗿 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮
