Police start ‘visiting’ gun owners

POLICE have started going house to house as part of their campaign to urge gun owners to renew their firearms license.

As of October, there were 21,592 firearms with expired license in Central Visayas, Supt. Rex Derillo, chief of the Firearms, Explossives Security Service Agency and Guards Supervisory Section (FESSAGSS), said in yesterday’s Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis (Tsip) forum.

Derilo said they have visited 84 percent of the total gun owners in the region.

Under ‘Oplan Katok’, police will not only send notices to licensed gun owners but will also visit their houses to check the status of their licenses, Derilo said.

Derillo said police will confiscate the gun if its license has expired for more than six months.

Gun owners will be given a chance to renew the license of their guns if the license has been expired for less than six months.

Derilo said not having enough time or being busy was common reason by gun owners for failing to renew their licenses.

Some also said their licenses expired after the failed to immediately transfer the ownership of a bought firearm.

Derillo said as of December, there were 71,763 registered firearms in Region 7.

Police reminded licensed gun owners not to bring firearms outside their houses due to the current election gun ban. The gun ban will be from Jan. 13- June 13.

Members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP) must be in complete uniform when carrying firearms./REPORTER JUCELL MARIE P. CUYOS