BY MALU CADELINA MANAR
GENERAL SANTOS CITY – At least 285 loose or unlicensed firearms recovered from different provinces in Region 12 were turned over to the police regional headquarters in General Santos City on Thursday, a police official said.
Data from the PNP-12 showed that 77 of those were recovered from the New People’s Army and other terror groups.
The Cotabato Police Provincial Office stated that it has turned over at least 157 or 55 percent of the total number of loose firearms.
Provincial director Col. Henry Villar said 27 were recovered from the NPAs; 11 were unlicensed; and the rest were voluntarily surrendered by gun holders to different police units in North Cotabato.
The province of South Cotabato, on the other hand, has turned over 76 loose firearms to PRO-12, 48 of which were seized from the communist rebels, 11 were unregistered , and the rest have expired licenses.
At least 33 unlicensed guns came from Sultan Kudarat, two of which were recovered from the NPAs, four were voluntarily surrendered by gun holders; 17 were unregistered; and the rest have expired licenses.
In Sarangani province, the provincial police turned over 19 loose firearms yielded voluntarily by gun holders.
PRO-12 regional director, Brigadier General Michael Dubria, said those guns were recovered after they intensified their region-wide campaign, Oplan Katok, where police personnel had to knock doors of houses of individuals they perceived to have kept in their possessions unlicensed guns.
He explained PRO-12 is set to destroy those guns to prevent those from being recycled and used for other purposes by any from the police units. (Malu Cadelina Manar)
