By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 (Central Visayas) has launched a decisive and high-impact operation that resulted in the shutdown of 15 illegal gun manufacturing sites in Danao City, Cebu on Tuesday.
PRO 7 Director Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, in a statement, said the operation is in line with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil’s directive to eliminate the sources of loose firearms nationwide.
Personnel of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 7 (RMFB7) and Danao City Police Station carried out the operation in Barangay Cahumayan, Danao City.
The mission, personally supervised by Maranan, was part of PRO 7’s strategic countermeasures against criminal gangs, drug syndicates, private armed groups, and terrorists, who rely on these illicit gun factories to perpetuate violence not only in Central Visayas but across the nation.
The operation stemmed from a series of successful intelligence-driven actions from March 21 to May 16, 2025, which unveiled the existence and scope of illegal firearms production in the area.
Operatives arrested eight suspects and dismantled 10 shanties, confiscated 10 lathe machines used for gun manufacturing, finished and unfinished pistols, and other equipment.
“The simultaneous dismantling of fifteen illegal gun-making sites reflects the intensity of our commitment to rid Central Visayas of deadly weapons,” he said.
“These manufacturers fuel violence by supplying firearms to criminal gangs, drug syndicates, private armed groups, and even insurgents like the NPAs and terrorists. Their destruction is not just a local triumph—it is a strategic blow to criminal networks operating nationwide.”
The Central Visayas police, he said, stands firm in its mission to disrupt the supply chain of deadly weapons, urging the public to continue supporting efforts that ensure lasting peace and community safety throughout the region and the country. (PNA)
