Pangasinan PNP turns over 1,539 loose firearms
THE Regional Civil Security Unit 1 received the 1,539 loose (unlicensed) firearms that the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) seized and recovered during a turnover ceremony led by Police Regional Office 1 Director, P/Chief Superintendent Romulo Sapitula at the PPPO grandstand in Lingayen.
Sapitula said the seized firearms was a result of the one-year effort of PPPO in implementing it’s ‘Oplan Katok’ to recover all loose firearms in the province.
PNP Regional Director Chief Supt. Sapitula holds one of the guns confiscated by Pangasinan police from Oplan Katok during the ceremonial turnover on Feb. 10 at the Pangasinan Provincial Police headquarters in Lingayen. (Punchphoto by Eva Visperas)
“Deposited, confiscated or surrendered,” was how Sapitula described in brief how the firearms came into police custody.
Some of the firearms, he said, were surrendered by gun holders who failed to register or renew their licenses through search warrants, checkpoints and police responses to incidents.
He advised gun owners who failed to register or renew their licenses to surrender their guns for police custody while having the applications processed. “We can help in the processing,” he added.
“All firearms with expired licenses and permits are subject to Oplan Katok,” Sapitula warned.
Sapitula said Oplan Katok is also aimed at preventing the loose firearms getting into the hands of criminals or communist terrorists and to ensure peaceful and orderly Barangay Elections in May.
If the guns are suspected to have been used in criminal acts, these would undergo laboratory examination for cross matching, he said.
Sapitula said big cities in Pangasinan like Dagupan, Urdaneta, San Carlos and Alaminos yielded the highest number of seized loose firearms.
In the region, Pangasinan has the most number of confiscated firearms as compared to La Union, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur.
Sapitula commended Pangasinan PPO for the successful campaign of the Oplan Katok even as he continued to challenge it do more.
He also warned all PPPO personnel that any one caught sleeping while on duty will be charged administratively. (Eva Visperas/Nora Dominguez)
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