BY: FAYETTE C. RIÑEN
CEBU CITY, March 8 (PIA) – Police
commanders in Central Visayas are told to intensify their campaign against
loose firearms as the Police Regional Office (PRO-7) imposed a five percent
target reduction in the number of loose firearms in Central Visayas by the end
of this year.
PRO-7 Regional Director C/Supt. Danilo
Constantino issued a directive to all provincial and city police chiefs in the
region to go high in the battle against loose firearms (FAs) as a way to
eliminate a major element of crimes.
“I have told all police commanders to
strengthen checkpoint operations, nighttime and daytime as part of the measure
to address the problem of loose firearms,” said Constantino during the recent
Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis’ or TSIP Forum.
Police unit commanders are also told to
identify individuals in their area with suspected loose FAs for the issuance of
respective search warrants.
From January to February 26 this year,
Constantino said 160 loose FAs have either been confiscated or surrendered. “I
want to reduce the number of loose firearms by five percent,” added the police
general but failed to give the figure on the estimated number of loose firearms
in the region.
Last year, the PRO-7 said its five
percent target reduction of loose FAs was slightly over 1,900 but only
accomplished a little over 1,600 unregistered FAs, either by confiscation or
voluntary surrender. “We are short of our target by over 300,” disclosed
Constantino.
Gun-related crimes often used
unregistered FAs and the only way to address such crimes is to strengthen their
drive against loose FAs, said the police regional chief.
Though the PRO-7 director noted an
increase in crimes involving guns but denied that this is becoming a trend.
“We still have 10 more months to
accomplish our goal of five percent reduction in the number of loose firearms,”
said Constantino adding that he is very particular in the performance of his
men in this campaign.
Constantino said its office is regularly monitoring the confiscation of
unregistered firearms as he said he wants all police unit commanders “to be
more serious in the campaign against loose firearms.” (mbcn/PIA-7)
W � s z �_8 ��: t;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>For his part, barangay kagawad Glicerio
Bulado of Hilaitan said that frequent visitation of the local government
especially in the remote sitios of my barangay will surely gain the support of
the populace and reject the ideas of violence or armed struggle.
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Francisco
Patrimonio, Commander of 302nd Brigade said that more barangays in Negros
Oriental will be declared insurgent-free as the military continues its
Bayanihan operations in the province where the insurgents are continuously
diminishing.
The army is optimistic that Negros
Oriental would eventually be insurgency-free province this year.
BGen. Patrimonio said this vision, if
realized will attract more investors and business opportunities, hence, more
job and development for the Negrenses. (JCT/PIA7-Negros Oriental)