ILOILO City – The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) confiscated a total of 564 unlicensed and illegally owned guns in Western Visayas from July 1 to Nov. 19 this year.
“Most of these weapons are from law enforcement operation, some were surrendered by the local government units and individuals who still have no permit for the said firearms,” Lieutenant General Camilo Pancratius Cascolan, Philippine National Police’s deputy chief for operations said.
Cascolan cited the PRO 6’s relaunched “Tokhang Kontra Guinadilian nga Pusil (TKGP)” on Thursday at Camp Delgado here. This initiative aims to intensify the fight against the proliferation of loose firearms, he said. Cascolan was in this city for the graduation ceremony of Basic Internal Security Operations Course classes 01-04.
The TKGP was started in July last year. With the re-launching, the program is now dubbed the “Tokhang Kontra Armas Luthang (TKAL).”
Based on PRO 6 data, confiscated were 184 home-made firearms, 14 surrendered guns, and 366 others deposited at the police stations pending renewal of licenses.
Cascolan added there is a need for the program to be relaunched for the public to become aware of the efforts of its law enforcers.
“They would be able to now that the PNP will not relax in this endeavor,” he said.
Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, PRO 6 regional director, in the same press conference, said the relaunching of the program against loose firearms is also one of the preparations of the Western Visayas police in the yuletide season.
“Christmas is approaching and we really need to inform our general public that there is again a need to control the use of firearms and there is such a program for them to reach out and surrender their firearms, especially those who still don’t have complete documents,” Pamuspusan said.
The relaunch also served as an encouragement for Western Visayas cops to focus on the operations against loose firearms, he added.
The revitalized TKAL campaign will be implemented based on the accounting of loose firearms with expired licenses; neutralization of private armed groups; motorcycle riding in tandem suspects; gun-for-hire groups and other crime groups; and reduction of fear of crimes.
The regional police’ data shows that from July to Oct. 2019, 425 crimes were committed with the use of firearms.
While there are still several unlicensed guns being confiscated by the police, Cascolan assured the PNP will continue its services through License To Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF) caravans for the public to secure necessary licenses.
He said some who failed to renew firearm licenses lacked time while others are abroad.
“That is why we have the LTOPF caravans for the purpose that from Monday to Friday, they would be able to go to that certain place of the caravan,” he said, adding that the PNP will regain the “trust and confidence” of the people through these efforts. (With a report from PNA/PN)
