MANILA, Philippines — In a bid to prevent crime, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has destroyed at least 7,613 loose firearms in the country.
PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. on Monday led the ceremonial destruction of the captured, confiscated, surrendered, deposited, abandoned and forfeited firearms at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
Acorda said the purpose of what he described as a demilitarization event is to prevent the unauthorized use of firearms.
“By destroying these weapons, we completely eliminate any possibility of them falling into the hands of criminals and being used as instruments of violence,” Acorda said in a statement.
“Our intention is not to erase their history, but to repurpose their existence for the betterment of our society,” he added.
The firearms were cut into several pieces using a circular saw, rendering the weapons permanently inoperable.
The PNP Logistics Support Service oversaw the disposal of the firearms, starting with an inventory of 25,476 guns from Feb. 8, 2021 to Jan. 25, 2022.
The demilitarization was carried out in several batches, with the last batch on Monday.
The PNP demilitarized 6,338 guns in the first batch, 5,000 in the second batch and 6,526 in the third batch.
Acorda said the removal of the firearms from circulation reinforces the PNP’s resolve to protect the public and maintain law and order in the country.
In adherence to the PNP’s policies, the scrap and waste materials will be disposed through a public bidding process.