PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo extended the deadline of Final General Firearms Amnesty program of the Philippine National Police for another month due to the growing demand of several sectors.

In an Executive Order 817-A issued on October 30, 2009, Arroyo extended the firearms amnesty period until November 30, 2009.

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The government earlier implemented the firearms amnesty from October 1-30. But due to the onslaught of typhoons in Luzon, not many have availed of the said program, thus the extension.

The police in Southern Mindanao advised those who wanted to avail of the amnesty program to go to the nearest police station and inquire.

It was learned that there is a designated desk in every police precinct to entertain those who wanted to avail of the firearms amnesty.

Police regional office spokesman Superintendent Querubin Manalang said there is an estimated 49,000 loose firearms in the region and only a few have been registered since last month.

All over the country, there are about one million loose firearms.

The campaign is aimed at making the 2010 elections violence-free.

The police had attributed election violence to the proliferation of loose firearms. (BOT)