ALL the 1,330 shotguns issued by the provincial government to barangay chairmen during the administration of then Gov. Amado Espino Jr are, for all intents and purposes, now considered ‘loose’ firearms.

P/Sr. Superintendent Ronald Oliver Lee, OIC as provincial director, had ordered the confiscation of the shotguns that had been kept by either the Provincial Police Office or the town/city police stations for safekeeping prior to the 2013 elections.

Lee said the licenses for the shotguns had already expired in 2009 and these had not been renewed.

It will be recalled that several barangay chairmen were arrested and investigated for illegal use of the shotguns including possession of the shotguns while inside beer houses.

Since then, legal questions were raised on who should possess and who should be liable.

The provincial government issued the firearms in 2007 to the barangay chairmen for their protection and to intensify anti-criminality campaign in their areas. (Nora Dominguez) 

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