89 unlicensed guns turned over to police

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- A total of 89 firearms of various calibers were turned over to the custody of the Pampanga Provincial Police Office (PPO) headquarters in this city for “safekeeping.”

PPO Director R’win Pagkalinawan and Cagayan Police Director Moro Virgilio Lazo presented Monday the firearms to the media during a briefing.

The 89 firearms are part of the 7,561 unlicensed firearms in the province that were accounted for by the police.

Pagkalinawan said almost 100 percent of the identified gun owners already started securing necessary permits from the concerned government agencies regulating the ownership and possession of firearms.

“Na account na nating lahat ng mga unlicensed firearms at nakikipagtulungan naman sila sa atin ukol dito,” he said.

Pagkalinawan said the intensified conduct of the PNP’s Oplan “Katok,” which was launched in December 2012, showed a positive result.

The PNP’s Oplan “Katok” aims to encourage gun holders to renew their firearms licenses and to turn-in firearms to police stations if no longer interested to renew the same, he said.

Sixteen of the 89 firearms were surrendered by gun owners who are no longer interested in renewing their licenses, while the rest will be kept pending the processing of the licenses.

Meanwhile, as the gun ban starts, RSOTG-Pampanga reminded gun owners to do their part in renewing their firearms’ licenses to avoid inconveniences.