OPERATIVES of the Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) seized firearms and ammunition during a search warrant operation in Barangay San Isidro, Pamplona, Negros Oriental, on October 22, 2025.
The operation also led to the arrest of a suspect known as alias “Cecilio,” a resident of the said village.
Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, chief of the PRO-NIR Public Information Office, said operatives of the Pamplona Municipal Police Station raided the suspect’s house by virtue of a search warrant for violation of Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
Police recovered from the suspect’s possession one black Colt .45 pistol; one steel magazine for a .45-caliber firearm; 22 live rounds of .45-caliber ammunition; one black ammunition box; one black sling bag; two improvised shotguns; one .38-caliber revolver; and six live rounds of .38 ammunition.
Malong said the operation stemmed from a report filed by a concerned citizen with the assistance of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
She said the complainant, whose identity is being withheld, told police that the suspect pointed a firearm at him during a confrontation over damage caused by the suspect’s carabao to his root crops.
She added that the suspect also allegedly made repeated threats, forcing the complainant to temporarily leave his home out of fear for his safety.
The Pamplona Municipal Police Station then conducted surveillance, casing, and verification operations.
Malong said a firearms verification revealed that the suspect had no registered firearm under his name, prompting authorities to apply for a search warrant, which was later granted.
Brigadier General Arnold Thomas Ibay, PRO-NIR director, said the presence of loose firearms in communities poses a serious threat to public safety.
“Through these intensified operations, we aim to prevent the use of illegal firearms in criminal activities and ensure a safer environment for the people,” he said.
Ibay also reiterated his appeal to the public to cooperate with authorities by reporting individuals in possession of unregistered or unlicensed firearms.
He added that the campaign against loose firearms is part of PRO-NIR’s efforts to strengthen crime prevention, peacekeeping, and the protection of every Negrense and Siquijodnon. (MAP)