W. Visayas heightens drive vs 52,000 loose firearms Nestor P. Burgos Jr. Inquirer Visayas
November 08, 2009
ILOILO CITY, Philippines—The Philippine National Police (PNP) in Western Visayas has stepped up its campaign to account for around 52,000 loose firearms in the region.
After a three-month campaign that started on Aug. 1, the Police Regional Office 6 has only accounted for around 7,850 firearms that were surrendered, apprehended or applied for licensing. The remaining 44,150 loose firearms remain unaccounted.
“There is still a significant number that we cannot trace because they could have been taken out of the region but we will heighten our campaign,” Chief Supt. Isagani Cuevas, Western Visayas police director, told the Inquirer in a telephone interview on Sunday.
Cuevas said the bulk of loose firearms or around 29,000 have expired licenses that need to be renewed before the PNP’s Firearms, Explosives, Security Agencies and Guards Supervision Section (FESAGSS).
A month-long firearm amnesty program to register firearms with expired license which ended October was extended for another month to accommodate more applicants.
Gun owners can register their firearms for a P1,000 fee for every unlicensed firearm and P650 for every firearm with an expired license.
Cuevas said they have sent around 29,000 letters to owners of firearms that were previously registered but have expired licenses. Police in the region have also confiscated around 500 unlicensed firearms in raids.
He has also directed police stations to apprehend or submit for registration at least one loose firearm every week.
Police units will continue to conduct raids and checkpoints to recover the firearms after the amnesty period has lapsed, Cuevas said.
The program is part of the efforts of the government to ensure an orderly and peaceful election in 2010, he said.
There are about 1.1 million loose firearms in the country with the World Health Organization placing the Philippines tenth among countries with a high rate of gun-related killings, a PRO-6 statement said.
