Owners of loose firearms urged to surrender weapon

COTABATO CITY, Philippines - The Region 12 police office urged Saturday owners of at least 18,000 loose firearms in the region to renew their licenses or turn them in voluntarily amid the on-going nationwide gun ban.

Sr. Insp. Mauricio, spokesman of the Region 12 police office in Gen. Santos City, said a big bulk of the loose firearms in the region are in the hands of owners who failed to renew their gun licenses over the years.

Mauricio said some of the loose firearms are in the hands of communist rebels and members of the rival Moro National Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front

Mauricio said expired gun licenses can be renewed with the help of municipal and provincial police offices.

“Most of the thousands of loose firearms in the region are owned by residents of North Cotabato and Cotabato City,” Mauricio said.

The police have arrested six people in Central Mindanao for violating the gun ban imposed January 13 by the Commission on Elections.