The Police Regional Office (PRO-7) has already reached beyond its three-percent monthly target relative to the renewal of expired gun licenses. This is in response to the directive of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for a three percent monthly reduction on the number of loose firearms circulating in the country through EO No. 817 or the National Firearms Control Program (NFCP).
Classification of loose firearms is those that are being carried by threat groups, criminal gangs or syndicates and those gun owners with expired license.
PRO-7 Regional Director C/Supt. Lani-O Nerez previously disclosed that there are an estimated 52,000 loose firearms in Central Visayas and 1.1M loose firearms nationwide.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) at the forefront in the campaign against loose firearms needs to target 33,000 loose firearms by end of August as the EO officially takes effect on August 1 after the implementing rules and regulations of the NFCP have been signed last week.
A one-month amnesty from October 1 to 31 is likewise given for gun owners whose weapons have never been registered.
After October 31, those guns whose licenses were not renewed and those weapons that were not registered will face stiffer penalties.
Those gun owners whose license have expired only need to pay P650 for the renewal of the license under the amnesty program while a P1,000 fee is paid for the registration of those weapons that were never registered. (PIA/FCR)
