These guns could be used for illegal acts, says Balba
BY: ROEL T. AMAZONA
CAMP RUPERTO KANGLEON, PALO, Leyte- More than 1,000 firearms where turned over by the regional office of the Philippine National Police(PNP) to the Regional Civil Security Unit (RCSU) 8 as the authorized repository of all loose firearms.
PNP8 Regional Director Police Brigadier General Bernabe Balba personally turned over these loose firearms to Police Major Bjon Revecho, officer-in-charge of RCSU8.
Among those who witnessed the turnover rites held on Monday (July 27) at the grounds of the regional headquarter of the PNP was Interior and Local Government Regional Director Karl Ceasar Rimando.
The 1, 145 loose firearms were either confiscated, captured, surrendered, deposited, abandoned or forfeited.
About 147 of these loose firearms were from the Leyte Police Provincial Office, 159 from Biliran Police Provincial Office, 149 from Southern Leyte Police Provincial Office, 142 from Ormoc City Police Office, 100 from Northern Samar Police Provincial Office, 77 from Eastern Samar Police Provincial Office, 51 from Samar Police Provincial Office and 40 from Tacloban City Police Office.
A total of 790 firearms have expired license, 309 subject for record, and 48 collected from courts with case fully adjudicated.
Among the turned over firearms were 515 pistols, 163 revolvers, 112 shotguns and 46 rifles.
“This shows our intensified program of Oplan Katok which aims to prevent loose and unlicensed firearms from being used in any criminal activities,” Balba said.
The police official also encourages gun owners with expired license and unrenewed firearms to renew their license to avoid inconvenience and criminal liability.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
