Dumanjug mayor sets August 25 deadline for surrender of expired, unregistered guns

CEBU, Philippines — Dumanjug Mayor Efren Gica has issued an August 25 deadline for the voluntary surrender of expired and unregistered firearms. He also lifted the ban on mobile phones in schools.

In an interview with reporters, Gica said the municipal government and Dumanjug Police Station already have a list of individuals who possess firearms that are either no longer registered or have expired licenses.

Starting August 26, authorities will begin taking appropriate action against those who fail to voluntarily surrender their firearms by the 5 p.m. deadline on August 25, he said.

“Naa mi listahan kung kinsay naay armas, naa mi listahan sa dunay mga rehistradong armas nga wala na nila mapa rehistro og balik og dili nila e turnover before the deadline sa police station, we will file appropriate action,” Gica said.

The mayor said the first step would be to apply for a search warrant. If an unregistered or expired firearm is found during the operation, the owner could face a criminal case.

“Number one action is to file for a search warrant, ikaduha kung makit-an ang armas, criminal case na,” Gica said.

He appealed to gun owners to comply before the deadline, saying he hoped authorities would not have to reach the point of conducting searches and filing cases against Dumanjug residents.

“I hope dili na nato maabot dinha sa atong mga kaigsuonan sa Dumanjug,” he said.

Gica said the campaign against loose firearms is also linked to concerns over public safety, particularly the possibility of minors gaining access to guns that are kept in homes or by people within their communities.

“Mao ni rason maong ang mga bata dunay kapasidad makabuhat og dili maayo pinaagi sa armas kay dili mana sila makapalit og armas,” Gica said.

He said minors who gain access to firearms could obtain them from parents, neighbors, or through theft and potentially use them in committing crimes.

“Akong gi-call out ang mga tag-iya og armas, kaila mi kung kinsa sila, kaybaw mi,” Gica said, adding that the town has barangay officials and other assets who can help identify firearm owners.

Gica also expressed concern over the prevalence of firearms in some areas of the municipality, saying authorities have lists of loose firearms as well as individuals with firearms whose registrations have not been renewed.

He said many firearm owners who initially secure the necessary license eventually stop renewing their registrations because they no longer expect to be checked.

He also described a changing security situation in the municipality, particularly in upland areas.

“Sauna ang mga bukid mahadlok sa taga lungsod pero karon ang lungsod mahadlok sa taga bukid kay halos tanan didto naa nay armas,” he said.

Under Gica’s public advisory, residents may voluntarily surrender firearms to the Dumanjug Municipal Police Station for safekeeping without facing a case for the voluntary turnover.

The firearms may be returned once the owner completes the required registration or renewal.

The mayor, however, warned residents not to wait for police to recover the firearms through a search warrant, as this could lead to formal criminal proceedings.

Mobile Phone ban lifted

Alongside the firearm surrender campaign, Gica has also reversed his earlier policy banning students from bringing mobile phones inside school campuses.

The decision came after the recent shooting incident at a senior high school in Zamboanga City, which prompted the mayor to reassess the town’s school safety measures.

Gica said the incident made him concerned about students’ ability to communicate during an emergency, prompting him to lift the cellphone ban.

“Ang reason nganong gi-lift nako ang ban sa mga bata pagdala sa sulod sa eskwelahan sa cellphone tungod sa recent nga nahitabo sa Zamboanga nga grabi na kaayo,” he said.

He said the policy change was driven by the need to prioritize students’ lives and ensure they have a means of communication during emergencies.

“Tungod sa nahitabo, mas importante jud ang kinabuhi maong akong gitugtan ang mga bata nga magdalag cellphone sa eskwelahan,” Gica said.

The lifting of the ban does not mean students will be allowed to freely use their phones during school hours.

Under the new guidelines, mobile phones remain prohibited during instructional hours. Teachers are encouraged to provide designated storage boxes where students can place their phones when they enter classrooms.

Students may retrieve their phones after dismissal or use them immediately if an emergency occurs.

Gica appealed to teachers and students to observe the restrictions, particularly during regular class hours.

“Akong gihangyo pud ang mga magtutudlo ug mga bata nga dili nila gamiton ang maong cellphone during school hours,” he said.

He clarified that the phones should not be used from the beginning of classes until dismissal, including during recess and lunch, except when there is an emergency.

Gica said the cellphone policy is only one component of the town’s broader effort to strengthen school security following the Zamboanga incident.

He said Dumanjug had already conducted security and emergency drills in both public and private schools even before the incident.

The activities were initiated by the Philippine National Police and the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, he said.

“Before sa incident sa Zamboanga, kami sa Dumanjug, we already did some initiative,” Gica said.

Despite these preparations, the mayor said the municipality would not become complacent.

Gica said he would personally visit all schools in Dumanjug to brief students and remind them of the importance of staying alert and following safety protocols.

“Ako mismo isip mayor makulbaan ko kay basin daghan ang madala niini. Mao na nga I will have to double time, bisitaon nako ang tanang eskwelahan namo sa lungsod sa Dumanjug para pagpahibaw sa mga bata,” he emphasized. – MRM (CEBU NEWS)