BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA

The intensified campaign against loose firearms is a preemptive security measure for next year’s midterm elections, according to Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) director Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Castil Jr.

Castil said this yesterday as he and his personnel presented the firearms recovered under the “Tokhang Kontra sa Ginadumilian nga Pusil.”

From January to June this year, a total of 183 guns were either surrendered to or seized by NOPPO officers.

Most of gun owners who turned their weapons in to the police have yet to complete their license renewal.

Castil said once the renewal is complete, surrendered guns will be returned to their respective owners.

Aside from these, improvised firearms (pin guns and shotguns, among others) are also under NOPPO’s custody. Castil said they will be destroyed.

During the presentation, NOPPO operations head Superintendent Rhea Santos said there are around 11,184 registered gun holders in Negros Occidental.

Of the number, about 10,908 have yet to renew their licenses.

Santos said they are now targeting the recovery of 434 loose firearms owned by criminal and rebel groups in the province.

Meanwhile, Castil said Manapla vice mayor Felix Robles is the only politician in the province who had surrendered his gun.

The NOPPO chief also stressed that by Wednesday, they will be adopting a “iron-hand” approach against gun owners in the province.

They will strengthen their operations by using search warrants against entities monitored to illegally possess firearms, like private armed groups./DGB, WDJ