SAN JOSE, Antique – The provincial police office here said it will boost its campaign against loose firearms this year.
Lieutenant Colonel Norby Escobar, Deputy Director for Operations of the Antique Provincial Police Office, said a total of 182 firearms were surrendered to various municipal police stations in the province due to their campaign last year.
Escobar added that of the 182 firearms, 119 were surrendered loose firearms or had no licenses while the licenses of 63 others had already expired.
“Owners of firearms with expired licenses are encouraged to deposit it first at the police stations, pending the release of their license renewal,” he said.
With the revitalized campaign, police officers will again visit the homes of gun-owners who have expired gun licenses, otherwise they will be penalized, he added.
As part of their intensified campaign, Escobar said every police station in the 18 towns of the province would be required to have a weekly accomplishment report on surrendered firearms.
“If the gun-owners will not surrender their firearms, then the police will be forced to apply for a search warrant,” he added.
Escobar said last year’s campaign reduced the index crime incidents in the province, citing 40 cases of murder, compared to 45 cases in 2018; and 19 theft cases, as against 31 cases in 2018.(With a report from PNA/PN)
