By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Police Regional Office-6 (PRO-6) officially launched ‘tokhang’ for illegal firearms yesterday during a flag ceremony at Camp Martin Delgado in Iloilo City.

PRO-6 director, Police Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, said, based on data recorded in the first semester of 2018, there have been total 418 cases of firearms-related violence, including murder, homicide, physical injury, and threats.

Bulalacao explained, all said firearms-related incidents were committed through the use of either homemade, or improvised, weapons; and registered firearms that were reported stolen.

In response, the PRO-6 director said he issued a memorandum circular with regard to the high percentage of loose firearms in Western Visayas.

PRO-6 currently estimates around 1,000 loose firearms are present in the region, with around 400 are in Negros Occidental.

Bulalacao also appealed for everyone in possession of unregistered firearms to surrender to the nearest police station./DGB, WDJ