Western Mindanao has 20,000 loose firearms

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - The regional police in Western Mindanao has to account for an estimated 20,000 unregistered firearms, an official said Wednesday.

Chief Superintendent Napoleon Estilles, director of the Western Mindanao police regional office, said he has ordered an intensified crackdown on loose firearms in the region.

Estilles said that the crackdown will also include the 6,212 expired and un-renewed firearms.

He said the crackdown on the loose firearms is also part of the measures to ensure peaceful elections in 2013.

“With the coming elections, we have to account all loose firearms and account all expired license and un-renewed permit of gun holders,” Estilles added.

Estilles, meanwhile, admitted that they will have a hard time tracking down all of the loose firearms in the region.

The police director said that based on intelligence reports, Zamboanga City has 10,978 loose firearms; Zamboanga del Norte has 5,500; Zamboanga Sibugay 4,050; Zamboanga del Sur 1,905; and Isabela City in Basilan has 1,365 loose firearms.