LINGAYEN—Only a few Pangasinenses heeded the call for General Amnesty for Firearms from July 1 to October 31 this year, according to Police Provincial Director Percival Barba.

Barba reported that only 1,600 firearms were registered in the province during the four-month amnesty period out of the 10,430 firearms that were previously registered but not renewed during the regular registration period, which ended in March.

The 10,430 firearms were previously registered to some 6,000 individuals.

Those that registered firearms during the amnesty program include 500 of the estimated more than 2,400 loose firearms in the hands of unidentified owners.

Barba said while they are not happy with this 13% registration in this amnesty periods, the number is still higher than the turnouts in previous gun amnesty periods.

Barba appealed to firearm holders to take advantage of the amnesty extension given by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo until the end of November.

Barba promised that no questions will be asked of those who will comply, provided that they register and pay the corresponding fees.

After the deadline, Barba said the police intend to apply for search warrants and confiscate those unregistered firearms, which they have already identified through letters sent to them by the police prior to the amnesty period.

The extension of the gun amnesty period is in line with the expected passage into law of the proposed Gun Control Act under House Bill No. 6779, which seeks to impose stiffer penalties against those caught with illegal firearms and ammunition.—LM

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