There are 22,618 unregistered loose firearms in Central Visayas, Senior Supt. Melvin Buenafe of the Regional Police Office said recently.

He said the proliferation of loose firearms and its easy access to people is considered as the “critical obstacle” in the fight against crime and criminality in the country.

Although the crime volume in the first semester this year, recorded at 4,046, is still lower than the 4,338 crimes recorded over the same period in 2008, Buenafe added that theft and physical injuries topped the list of crimes committed in the region at 887 and 832, respectively, and murder, with 219 cases, came next. 

Cebu City has the highest crime volume at 1,307, with theft as also the highest at 421 cases.  These cases involved the use of guns.

Chief Supt. Lani-O-Nerez, PRO-7 regional director, told the Regional Peace and Order Council meeting that the PNP is currently planning to enforce firearm registration and responsible gun ownership.

Nerez also said that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered a final general firearms amnesty on October 1-31 this year.

Under this program, Nerez added, gun owners with expired licenses or unregistered firearms will be granted amnesty if they register within the prescribed period.

Arroyo recently approved amnesty for loose firearms for only one month, instead of the four months that the PNP had recommended.

The President also ordered the National Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee to review the existing firearms laws and regulations and propose possible amendments to institute a National Firearms Control Program.

The RPO-7 said there are an estimated 1,110,277 loose firearms nationwide as of May 2009.  Of these estimates, the PNP said, 559,326 have expired licenses, while 529,550 are unregistered.

With this data, the President also directed various law enforcement agencies to intensify operations against loose firearms.*RG

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