A TOTAL of 277 loose firearms were voluntarily surrendered to the Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO 6) within 24 hours, while two other firearms were confiscated in separate operations as police intensified their campaign against unlicensed and undocumented guns across the region.
Police Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño, regional director of the Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO 6), said the continued surrender of firearms reflects the trust and cooperation of communities in the police campaign.
“Ang bawat baril na boluntaryong isinusuko ay isang potensyal na banta na naaalis sa ating mga komunidad. Lubos naming pinahahalagahan ang patuloy na tiwala at pakikiisa ng ating mga mamamayan, barangay officials, local government units, at iba pang stakeholders. Hinihikayat natin ang mga mayroon pang loose firearms na makipag-ugnayan sa pinakamalapit na police station at piliing isuko ang mga ito bago pa magamit sa anumang insidente o krimen,” Tuaño said.
(Every firearm voluntarily surrendered represents a potential threat removed from our communities. We deeply appreciate the continued trust and cooperation of our citizens, barangay officials, local government units, and other stakeholders. We urge those who still possess loose firearms to coordinate with the nearest police station and choose to surrender them before they can be used in any incident or crime.)
From 6 a.m. on September 16 to 5:59 a.m. on September 17, 2026, PRO 6 conducted 177 operations against loose firearms throughout Western Visayas.
Aside from the 277 voluntarily surrendered firearms, police confiscated two firearms and recovered one explosive device during the 24 hours. One person was also arrested.
The operations brought to 279 the total number of loose firearms removed from communities during the period.
The voluntary surrender of firearms forms part of PRO 6's implementation of Project RTT, or Restrict, Track, and Turn-In, which seeks to encourage individuals possessing loose firearms to turn them over to authorities.
The program combines voluntary surrender efforts with law enforcement operations against individuals who continue to violate laws governing firearms.
PRO 6 said 2,436 barangays, representing 71.88 percent of the 3,389 barangays in Western Visayas, have participated in the program.
The participation of these communities has resulted in the voluntary surrender of 2,553 loose firearms, according to PRO 6.
Police said Project RTT will continue through a combination of voluntary surrender initiatives and law enforcement operations against those who continue to illegally possess firearms.
PRO 6 also urged individuals who still possess loose firearms to coordinate with their nearest police station and surrender the weapons before they are used in crimes or other incidents.
Authorities also called on the public to continue supporting the campaign and to report information involving illegal or unregistered firearms in their communities through Unified 911 or the nearest police station. (Leo Solinap/SunStar Philippines)