Police track down loose firearms
Police will go house to house to inform the public of the government's final gun amnesty program which ends on Oct. 31.
Senior Supt. Jesus Gaquing, chief of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO), yesterday said he already ordered chiefs of police in municipalities to urge gun holders to have their guns licensed.
“We will conduct random house visits and ask the help of the barangay officials to inform their constituents of the government's gun amnesty program,” said Gaquing after the Philippine National Police (PNP) formed Oplan Kontra Buga to address the problem of loose firearms in the country.
According to PNP statistics, unlicensed firearms in the country have reached 1.2 million.
Police said the data included the firearms of gun owners who had not renewed their licenses and unlicensed firearms who were used by criminal elements.
Police said that in Central Visayas there are at least 52,000 unlicensed guns.
Cebu City Police Chief Patrocinio Comendador Jr. said his office has also conducted an information drive on the gun amnesty program.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued Executive Order 817 granting a “final general firearms amnesty” from Oct. 1-31.
“All loose firearms holders, be they with expired licenses and/or unregistered firearms, shall be encouraged and be given an opportunity to obtain the required firearms licenses,” the President said in the order dated July 7.
Under the guidelines, owners of loose firearms need to register at a police station and pay P1,000 for every unlicensed firearm or P650 for every firearm with expired license. They will be given temporary licenses, which will be valid until they get permanent licenses.
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudaily...loose--firearms