THE Cebu City Government will no longer issue service firearms to elected officials even if the General Services Office (DGS) has already renewed some of the licenses.
After two years, DGS Chief Ronald Malacora said licenses for 180 out of more than 400 city-owned firearms were already renewed this year.
The firearms were issued to the police, department heads and barangay officials but were recalled after the licenses expired. After DGS completed the renewal of the License to Own and Possess Firearms of the 180 firearms, Malacora said it will no longer be distributed to the barangay officials due to a new directive from the PNP.
Malacora said that according to the Firearms and Explosive Office of the PNP, the firearms should only be given to personnel who are directly engaged in securing the city.
A worker should also have a plantilla position in the City before he can be issued with a gun.
“It will no longer be issued to barangay officials but I will still have to talk to the mayor about it,” he said.
When sought for comment, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he will still have to determine how should the City go about it.
In July 2016, Osmeña issued a memorandum recalling all the firearms issued by the City after its licenses expired.
Asked about what is the status of around 200 remaining firearms whose licenses have yet to be renewed, Malacora said they cannot proceed in the renewal because the database of PNP showed no record of these guns. (RVC)