THE Northern Mindanao Police Regional Office (PRO) has released the names of barangay officials in Ozamiz City who have surrendered firearms, which they said came from the Parojinog family.
A PRO official said the village officials began turning over the firearms a day after the deadly raids which killed Ozamiz City mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and four members of the Parojinog family as well as 11 of their supporters.
Police Superintendent Lemuel Gonda, PRO spokesperson, identified the village chiefs who turned over their guns as Rolando Velayo of Pulot (1 short FA); Saulo Salvador of Malaubang (4 short FAs); Shiela Marie Agonoy of Banadero (10 short FAs); Juanito Saquin Jr. of Gango (1 short and 4 long FAs); Peter Dumon of Dalapang (1 short and 3 long FAs); Delfin Ignacio of Kinuman Norte (5 short and 3 long FAs); Albina Potutan of Embargo (1 short and 1 long FAs); Danilo Tubil of Balintawak (2 short and 2 long FAs); City Councilor Robert Cantago (3 long FAs); and certain Pio Cano (1 long FA).
Gonda said the 42 surrendered firearms either with had expired licenses or no license at all and were turned over by eight village chiefs, a city councilor, and a private person from July 31 to August 3.
Of the 42 guns, 25 are handguns and 17 are rifles.
"Loose firearms are those with expired license and those no license at all," Gonda said.
Gonda said the firearms, which are now under the custody of the Ozamis City Police Office, will soon be turned over to the PNP crime laboratory for ballistics examination.
Gonda said the police will likely apply search warrant for those who will not surrender their loose firearms.
"Kung naay information sa community nga usa ka tawo opisyal man o dili nagbaton og loose firearm, the police will conduct surveillance and casing, then the PNP will apply for search warrant," Gonda said.
Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Timoteo Pacleb, PRO-Northern Mindanao director, expressed his appreciation to the people of Ozamiz City for the cooperation in the campaign against loose firearms and urged the community to report other illegal activities.
Pacleb said the Northern Mindanao police will continue its efforts to eliminate all forms of illegal activities in the region and will keep on reinvigorating the anti-criminality campaign.