ACTING City Police Director Noel Armilla of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO) said the dismal results of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) general firearms amnesty program may force authorities to impose stiffer penalties for violators of the country’s gun laws.

Armilla said gun owners with expired licenses must avail of the on going nationwide gun amnesty program, which began October 1 and will last until month end, to avoid eventual prosecution.

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PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa had earlier announced that the PNP will be proposing the denial of bail to those who will be caught with at least two or three long firearms or five short ones.

Versoza had issued the announcement following President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s signing of Executive Order (EO) 817 to facilitate the latest gun amnesty program of the government in anticipation of next year’s national polls.

At the end of the amnesty period, the PNP, together with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Customs, Philippine Ports Authority, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and other law enforcement agencies would go after the owners of loose firearms.

“Pursuant to the duty of the state to protect its citizens and maintain peace and order, there is a need to implement a national firearms control program that would reduce the number of loose firearms by an average of three percent a month through aggressive continuing law enforcement actions, to include a general amnesty for loose firearms,” the EO stated.

“The proliferation of loose firearms has remained as a critical obstacle in the fight against criminality,” it added.

The PNP estimates that as of May 2009, there are 1.1 million loose firearms in the country, half of which were classified as having expired or unrenewed licenses.
One thousand two hundred twenty four (1,224) of this is estimated to be in Cagayan de Oro.

“That number is for loose firearms only in the city and it’s so hard for the police to trace that firearms pero unsay among among kung mismo ang holders dili gusto mahimong legal ang iyang pusil,” Armilla told the Sun.Star.