RECAP: 80 Gun violators and 767 loose firearms accounted in Cordillera

CAMP MAJOR BADO DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet – For Calendar Year 2020, 80 gun violators and 767 assorted firearms were accounted for by the Police Regional Office Cordillera (PROCOR) as a result of the intensified campaign against loose firearms.

From January to December 2020, PROCOR conducted a total of 807 police operations that led to the arrest of 80 persons and the filling of 72 cases in court. Based on records, Abra and Kalinga PPO has the highest number of accomplishments with 23 each arrest and 20 & 23 cases which were filed in court respectively. Followed by BCPO with 11 arrests wherein 8 cases were filed in court; then Apayao PPO with 8 arrest and 8 cases filed; Mt Province with 6 arrest and 4 cases filed; Ifugao PPO with 5 arrest and 5 cases filed, and Benguet PPO with 4 arrest and 5 cases were filed in court.

Of the 767 assorted unlicensed/unregistered firearms recorded, 657 loose guns were surrendered by various individuals and stakeholders, while 86 were confiscated, and 24 various firearms were recovered in different police operations.

Topping the list is Abra PPO who accumulated the most number of loose firearms with 288 guns, followed by Benguet PPO with 128, Ifugao PPO – 86, Kalinga PPO – 77, Mountain Province PPO – 72, Apayao – 69, and Baguio City Police Office (CPO) with 47 loose firearms.

Loose firearms refer to an unregistered firearm, an obliterated or altered firearm, which has been lost or stolen, illegally manufactured firearms, registered firearms in the possession of an individual other than the licensee, and those with revoked licenses in accordance with the rules and regulations.

This accomplishment is a result of the continuous conduct of police operations regionwide and engagement to the community through dialogue with the residents and pulong-pulong in support of the PNP’s intensified campaign against Loose Firearms. (PROCOR RPIO)