Masbate contains loose guns as midterm elections near
NAGA CITY—As the 2013 midterm elections loom, calls to stop the proliferation of loose or unlicensed firearms in Masbate have grown louder.
A top official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic, said there were at least 4,695 illegally-owned short and long firearms in Masbate.
Election-related killings and other forms of political violence in Masbate have been blamed on the proliferation of unlicensed guns.
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Most of the loose guns, the official said, came from Cebu province. Among the loose guns were those that were earlier confiscated but tampered to conceal registration records. Guns with expired licenses are also considered illegally-owned.
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Among those calling for the confiscation of firearms are the Masbate Peace Advocates, a Church-led multisectoral group that calls for an end to political violence in the province and several local officials.
“I am against loose firearms not only in Masbate but the entire country,” said Placer Mayor Joshur Judd Lanete, son of Gov. Rizalina Seachon-Lanete.
Lanete said he has instructed the Philippine National Police in his town to “strongly” encourage gun owners to renew their licenses and implement fully the campaign against illegal guns.
“We have been doing this [every year] as part of our advocacy on gunless society,” added Lanete.
Pio V. Corpuz Mayor Herminigildo Betonio III said he supported the call, but said it should be applied to everyone and not single out a few politicians.
“The hard part is if they target only political foes,” added Betonio, who claimed some military personnel were being used by politicians in Masbate.
He said loose firearms should be surrendered to minimize violence and killings during elections.
Masbate police director Senior Supt. Heriberto Olitoquit said the Special Task Force Masbate (STFM), composed of police and military forces headed by Senior Supt. Pancho Adelberto Hubilla, deputy regional police director for operation, had been doing an accounting of loose firearms and dismantling partisan armed groups in Masbate.
Last Wednesday, STFM raided the house of a certain Charlie Cortes in Barangay Manamoc in Aroroy town and confiscated from him several guns and ammunition.
Cortes was charged with illegal possession of firearms on Friday.
