The accounting of loose firearms is now the top priority of the Police Regional Office 6 as it gears up its security preparations for the 2013 elections, its regional police director, Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz, said yesterday.

PRO6 records show that there are 22,462 licensed firearms, with Negrenses. Of the number, 10,823 have expired licenses.

This is on top of an estimated 6,000 loose firearms in the possession of other individuals in Negros Occidental, police records also show.

After the successful recovery of an M-16 assault rifle with hundreds of ammunition, an M-75 grenade launcher and a fragmentation grenade in recent raids in Aklan, Cruz said more searches will be expected ,as the PNP intensifies security preparations for the holidays and coming elections.

Of the 11,052 licensed gun holders in Bacolod City, 635 were granted permits to carry guns outside their residences.

“We should intensify further our campaign against loose firearms as there may be used in threatening people and in the commission of crimes,” Cruz said.

There are about 112,665 unlicensed and licensed guns possessed by individuals and juridical entities in Western Visayas, police records also show.

Of the 112,000 guns or more in the region, about 41,168 are classified as loose firearms, and these include the 29,575 with expired licenses.

There are 60,341 firearms possessed by licensed gun holders in Region 6, and that includes 22,462 documented ones in Negros Occidental, records of the PRO6 further show.* GPB

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