PNP: LGUs must also account for own guns

MANILA, Philippines - Local government units (LGUs) must also account for the firearms in their possession, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said yesterday.

According to PNP chief, Director General Jesus Versoza, while a majority of law enforcement agencies have already submitted their respective reports to Camp Crame, LGUs have yet to do so.

“We need to have an accounting of all the firearms in all local government units. All those not registered and documented will be declared loose,” he said.

Chief Superintendent Ireno Bacolod, chief of the PNP’s Civil Security Group, told reporters that the PNP has yet to receive reports from the LGUs on the number of guns in their possession.

According to the PNP, the Armed Forces of the Philippines has accounted for 200,000 guns in its possession, and so have the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (1,864), the National Bureau of Investigation (1,140), Department of Transportation and Communications (50), Land Transportation Office (318), Bureau of Immigration (204), Philippine Coast Guard (4,058), Philippine Ports Authority (576), and the Bureau of Customs (444).

The PNP has accounted for 157,062 guns in its possession.

Last Friday, President Arroyo approved an extension of the gun amnesty program until Nov. 30 to cater to gun holders who were victimized by tropical storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng.”

Verzosa said the President’s approval would surely boost their efforts to account for more loose firearms and prevent crime.

The extension of the amnesty period was in consideration of the numerous requests from the public as well as PNP and Armed Forces commanders in areas where Ondoy and Pepeng “restricted their desire” to avail themselves of the amnesty program.

As of Oct. 28, Verzosa said the PNP had accounted for a total of 171,337 of the estimated 1.1 million loose firearms, of which over 500,000 have expired licenses and the rest believed to be in the hands of criminal groups.

The national secretariat of the national firearms control program reported a total of 15,394 loose firearms have been registered since July 1, when the amnesty program took effect.

A total of 150,886 expired firearm licenses were renewed during the three-month period.