Police: Over 600,000 firearms with expired licenses

MANILA -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) has recorded more than half a million loose firearms in the country with a few months before the 2013 midterm elections.

According to the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO), there are over 610,000 firearms with expired licenses, which have yet to be renewed by gun owners as of August 2012.

A firearm is considered "loose" when its license expires. There are currently about 1,592,000 licensed guns in the country.

The PNP-FEO urged the gun owners to immediately re-register their expired firearms licenses within the allotted six-month grace period or face the possible legal consequences.

Last August, the PNP said 3,791 firearms from 2,561 unauthorized gun holders were already confiscated in the first six months of the year due to "vigorous" checkpoints, on- the-spot gun check operations, and service of search warrants.

A total of 80 loose firearms were also seized from 231 arrested motorcycle-riding suspects involved in various street crime activities.

The PNP has since claimed that the operations against loose firearms are also part of the campaign to ensure safe and peaceful elections next year. (Emmanuel Louis Bacani/Sunnex)