By Gabrielle Ariadne Aguilar
With the barangay elections scheduled in October this year, the Regional Civil Security Unit XI urges firearms holders to renew their licenses, launching a campaign called Katok Program in which police will visit houses of those whose licenses are for renewal.
A target has been set by General Benjamin Silo Jr. to have at least 50% of the loose firearms renewed before the elections.
“So, 50% would be a good number, but we are optimistic that we would be able to attain more than 50%,” he added.
RSU XI identified 20,251 loose firearms in the Davao Region as of May 10, said RCSU XI Chief PCol Richard Verceles.
Verceles said that 12,057, roughly 60% of the identified unrenewed firearms, are within Davao City.
Based on the April 29 – May 4, 2023 data of monitored unrenewed licensed firearms, 101 are from holders who changed their address, 64 are from deceased holders, 31 with incorrect addresses, 17 are stolen firearms, and 5 are from holders who are OFWs.
There are three notices to be sent, and when licenses are still unrenewed or deposited to police stations after the third notice, they will permanently revoke the licenses of firearms holders.
“Kung pwede namang makuha sa pakiusapan, mas maganda siguro kung you would be heeding ang aming pakiusap, or yung mga katok ng kapulisan (If it can be delivered through a request, it would be better to heed our request, or the calls of the police),” he said.
