By Perla Lena
ILOILO CITY – The Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO6) is calling on owners to surrender their unlicensed firearms to authorities or face cases amid the ongoing intensified implementation of search warrants.
“There is no reason for you to keep firearms for protection. We have not seen any threat for you to keep them. Better yet, surrender them now rather than we seize them through search warrants and face cases,” PRO6 Regional Director Brig. Gen. Jack Wanky urged residents during an interview on Tuesday.
He noted that some people kept firearms for protection due to the “imminent presence and atrocities by the New People’s Army,” especially in far-flung areas.
“For now, even our counterparts from the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) are saying that the CTGs (communist terrorist groups) are already on the run. There is a huge improvement in our peace and order because almost all of their leaders have been neutralized, others have surrendered,” he said.
Wanky said those who want to surrender their unlicensed or undocumented firearm, can communicate with the nearest police unit.
Meanwhile, PRO6 reported that various operations in the region from March 29-30 resulted in the arrest of five violators and the confiscation of assorted firearms and ammunition.
Police operatives seized two homemade firearms and four live .9mm ammunition from alias Frank, a barangay councilor of Barangay Tipacla in Ajuy, on March 30.
On March 29, law enforcement authorities served a search warrant against alias Ariel in Barangay Tabuc Suba, Jaro, Iloilo City. They recovered one caliber .45 pistol with one magazine, eight live ammo, and one gun replica with a magazine.
On the same day, a search warrant against alias Boy In Barangay Capiñahan, Lemery, Iloilo yielded a Glock 17, two magazines, and 10 live bullets.
Four caliber .45 bullets were also seized from alias Richard in Barangay Tipacla on March 29.
Meanwhile, one caliber .45 pistol loaded with a magazine and two live bullets, one caliber .38 revolver loaded with two live bullets, one homemade short forearm and one live cartridge for a 12-gauge shotgun were recovered from alias Vani in Barangay Baybay, Roxas City, Capiz,
The suspects are facing charges for violations of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act. (PNA)
