PRO-7 accounts 130 loose firearms in prep of 2022 polls

CEBU, Philippines — At least 130 loose firearms and four explosives were accounted by the members of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB-7) during their Internal Security Operations (ISO).

Police Brigadier General Ronnie Montejo, Police Regional Office (PRO-7) director, said that aside from the campaign against all forms of criminality, the operation was also in line with the 2022 elections.

“Mo-lessen gyud ug kung dili totally mawala, mabawasan gyud, ug unya kay hapit naman sad ang election ang kato pung naay mga init kaayo og ulo, ug di na gani kaagwanta, nagsalig kay naay armas, so walay laing mahuna-hunaan mogamit og armas, sa kainit sa ulo moresulta og crimes,” said Montejo.

According to Montejo, the seizure of these unlicensed firearms could be a factor to the decrease in the crime rate in the region.

“One way of minimizing, usa ra ni siya sa program nga ang pag-surrender sa mga unlicensed firearms diri sa atoa,” said Montejo.

Montejo further said that they haven’t monitored any particular crime group in Central Visayas that would probably utilize the loose firearms into any forms of criminality.

He added, however, that there were few individuals who still use loose firearms for illegal activities.

Montejo further directed the city and provincial directors under the PRO-7 to continue their monitoring against loose firearms as the election season approaches.

“Padayon ang Enhance Managing Police Operations, kining pag-encourage sa mga katawhan nga dunay mga firearms labi pa ang katong unlicensed nga i-surrender sa bisan asa nga police station units or companies sa RMFB,” he said.

Montejo also said that no case will be filed against those individuals who decide to surrender their unlicensed firearms.

Meanwhile Police Colonel Julius Salandoy, chief of the Regional Civil Security Unit (RCSU), will receive the recovered loose firearms which will be demilitarized later on.

“Kagaya na rin ng ginawa sa Camp Crame, meron na rin tayong naunang ito na ginawa so that this will not be returned again sa mga lawless elements, this will be demilitarized through destruction,” said Salandoy.

Salandoy also assured that these recovered firearms will not be recycled by the police thus will be put under “savings.”

“That will not be happening,” said Salandoy.

Furthermore, Police Colonel Robert Limbawan, RMFB-7 chief said there were no individuals arrested for these firearms since these were surrendered, confiscated, captured and deposited to the battalion.

To determine if these firearms were used for illegal activities, Limbawan said the RCSU would conduct ballistic examination to determine.

“All of these will be turned over to the RCSU, they will conduct ballistic maybe, and we will see later if these firearms had been used sa mga krimen na na-irecord natin within our area of jurisdiction,” said Limbawan.

Limbawan also said they are yet to determine if these firearms were locally-made. However, he assessed that some of these guns were made in Danao City. — GMR (FREEMAN)