CAPIZ – In a continued effort to strengthen trust between law enforcement and the public, a total of 33 firearms were voluntarily surrendered to the police in Capiz from April 2024 to May 2025.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Lumyaen Lidawan, commander of the 1st Capiz Provincial Mobile Force Company, described the accomplishment as a significant milestone under the expanded Tokhang Kontra Armas-Luthang (TKAL) program.
The TKAL initiative is designed to enhance public safety and maintain peace and order by encouraging the responsible ownership and disposal of firearms.
According to Lidawan, a series of community dialogues, workshops, and information drives — conducted in partnership with various barangay local government units — helped raise awareness about the dangers of unregistered firearms. These educational efforts empowered residents to voluntarily surrender their firearms in a show of collective commitment to creating safer communities.
The campaign is further supported by the Philippine National Police’s best practice initiative, “Armas Baylo Bugas” (Guns for Rice), in which individuals who surrender firearms receive essential goods or services in return. Maneuver platoons have been actively promoting this program in barangays across the province.
Police authorities continue to urge those in possession of unregistered firearms to participate in the said program. Through sustained community engagement, the police hope to significantly reduce the number of illegal firearms and promote a culture of safety and responsibility in Capiz./PN
