PNP on Right Track on its Campaign Against Loose Firearms

Police Regional Director Lino Calingasan with Agusan del Sur Provincial Director Antonio Paguirigan inspected the high powered firearms





In a joint operation by Agusan del Sur Provincial Police Office and 26IB of the 4th Infantry Division, Philippine Army serving a warrant of arrest should have been the main purpose in going to Sitio Gacub, Barangay La Purisima, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur but it turned out negative.

The team led by Agusan del Sur Provincial Director Police Senior Supt. Antonio Paguirigan and Lt. Col. Andres Centino maximize their time by conducting information campaign on the implementation of the National Firearms Control Program and against loose firearms that yielded positive results.

A local leader identified as Datu Simon informs the team of 3 residents who refused to be identified for fear they might be subjected to investigation, wishes to turn-over some firearms.

Turned-over to PSS Paguirigan and Lt. Col. Centino were 1 unit Elisco M16 rifle with four long magazines, 79 ammunitions and 3 rifle grenades, 1 unit M1 garand rifle with 7 clips loaded with 58 rounds of ammunitions and 1 unit US carbine rifle who are all in good condition but with defaced serial numbers.

Agusan del Sur PPO are now planning to install firearm deposit boxes in municipal halls to intensify the campaign against loose firearms and encourage people’s support to surrender all undocumented firearms with no questions asked.

“We in the PNP and AFP is bent on controlling firearms in order to contain criminality and therefore appeal to the community to support this laudable program in everybody’s effort to obtain a lasting peace in our country,” said Police Provincial Director PSS Paguirigan.

Datu Simon likewise promised to bear with the program along with his neighbourhood in convincing other firearm holders within their community to turn them over to authorities or avail of the amnesty to have these licensed.

The firearms were presented yesterday to Police Regional Director Lino Calingasan and urged the public to be with them in this campaign.

According to PRO 13 Operations Chief Police Senior Supt. Nestor Fajura an estimated total of 381 loose firearms is in the possession with the NPA, 190 from criminal groups which have been in close monitoring by the PNP and AFP at check points, but the biggest volume that were accounted are owned by civilians at more than 40,000.

PSS Fajura added, with the implementation of the Final Firearms Amnesty control Program the PNP is conducting firearm accounting in preparation for the massive confiscation of unrenewed licensed firearms beginning November 1, 2009.

Firearms issued to PNP were 100% all accounted for, while 30% have already been accounted from the 3,899 unrenewed licensed firearms.