CAMP RAFAEL C. RODRIGUEZ, Butuan City – The Police Regional Office-13 ordered all mobile force commanders, provincial and city directors, and municipal chiefs of police in the Caraga region on Thursday, June 22, to step up their campaign against loose firearms ahead of the 2023 Barangay and SK elections in October.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is the top law enforcement agency tapped by the Commission and Elections (Comelec) to secure the elections.
PRO-13 vowed to strengthen the campaign against loose firearms to prevent or reduce incidents, especially in eight focus crimes.
“My instruction was to intensify the accounting for loose firearms as part of our preparation for the peaceful and orderly conduct of BSKE in our region,” PRO-13 Director Police Brig. Gen. Pablo G. Labra II said.
“We have to ensure that these weapons will not be used as instruments to sow crimes and violence in this year’s poll,” Labra added.
According to the PRO 13-Regional Operations Division (ROD), 652 loose firearms were surrendered and confiscated from Jan. 1 to June 22, 2023.
The ROD said 437 were turned over by their owners under “Oplan: Katok”; 132 were surrendered by former communist rebels, and 83 were confiscated during police response and implementation of search warrants.
Under Oplan: Katok, police officers visited firearms holders and informed them to surrender their firearms pending renewal of their license and registration.
Gun owners may deposit their firearms at the nearest police station for temporary safekeeping until their licenses are renewed.
“With more than four months before the 2023 electoral process, we will double our efforts to prevent gun-related incidents,” Labra said.