IN line with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Benjamin C. Acorda Jr’s order for an aggressive and honest-to-goodness law enforcement operations, the PNP Civil Security Group has called on all other law enforcement agencies in the country to ensure that their personnel will renew their gun licenses and other permits too, the Journal Group learned yesterday.

PNP-CSG director, Brigadier Gen. Benjamin H. Silo Jr. said they have called the attention of the heads of other law enforcement agencies (LEA) nationwide to ask their men to renew their expired License to Own and Possess Firearms (LTOFPs) and firearms registration.

PNP-CSG records show that as of last May 5, there are a total of 539,662 firearms with expired registration papers. They consist of 476,164 licensed citizens and 63,498 juridical entities.

There are also a total of 816,136 expired LTOPFs to date. They consist of 476,164 licensed citizens and 63,498 juridical entities.

There are also a total of 816,136 expired LTOPFs to date with 815,638 of them issued to licensed citizens and the rest juridical entities.

The lawyer-police general said they aim to achieve a significant reduction in the number of loose firearms within five months in order to give an impact in the country’s peace and order situation.

To address the problem on loose firearms and to strictly monitor the status of gun license holders nationwide, Brig. Gen. Silo said they are strengthening the PNP’s Revitalized Oplan: Katok and have come up with a number of measures to address the proliferation of both unregistered and loose firearms.

PNP-CSG records also showed that there are 8,170 other LEA personnel with unregistered guns or those with expired licenses.

There are also a total of 15,982 AFP personnel with expired LTOPs.

The unit also has listed nearly 12,000 active policemen or those who have already retired, Dropped from Rolls, dismissed from the service or those who have applied for Permanent Total Physical Disability with expired gun permits.

Those in active status are now required to renew their registration papers or to report to the PNP-CSG or the nearest Regional Civil Security Unit the status of their firearms for proper disposition.

Brig. Gen. Silo said this is part of their Oplan: Accounting and Disposition of Firearms with Expired Registration or ADFER, they are calling on all PNP personnel and other LEAs to renew their gun papers.

On orders of Gen. Acorda, the PNP-CSG has launched a massive effort to account for loose firearms in the country as these weapons are considered the most effective tool to sow terror.

The PNP-CSG director said loose firearms are constantly being used to efficiently inhibit the citizens from expressing their will during electoral exercises and have contributed not only to the escalation of armed confrontation but also to the prolonging of conflicts and obstructing post-conflict reconstruction and development specifically in so-called Geographically Isolated and Disadvantageous Areas in the country.

Brig. Gen. Silo said they are bent on accounting for majority of the loose firearms in the country before the October 30, 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections wherein some aspiring candidates and their supports may resort to gun-related violent acts.

As such, the PNP-CSG has come up with a massive public awareness program to convince gun-holders with delinquent firearm registration papers to renew their permits on time to avoid having trouble with the law.

According to the lawyer-police general, they aim to achieve a significant reduction in the number of loose firearms within five months or before the SK and Barangay polls in order to give an impact in the country’s peace and order situation.

To address the problem on loose firearms and strictly monitor the status of gun license holders nationwide, Brig. Gen. Silo said they are strengthening the PNP’s Revitalized Oplan: Katok and have come up with a number of measures to address the proliferation of both unregistered and loose firearms.

To deal with the components of loose firearms, the official said he has given all PNP-CSG personnel with expired gun licenses two weeks only to renew their LTOFP and firearm registration or face the consequences.

“We’re starting in our own backyard first and I intend to impose the strict implementation of the firearms’ law right in the PNP-CSG,” said Brig. Gen. Silo.

The official likewise reminded all those in possession of expired firearm licenses, both individual and juridical entities to renew their licenses to avoid being slapped with criminal charges for violation of Republic Act No. 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013 and RA No. 11766 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations to fix the validity period of the LTOFP, firearm registration and Permit-to-Carry-Firearms-Outside-of-Residence or PTCFORs.

He also encouraged all gun-holders with expired licenses to renew their permits at the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office thru the nearest Regional Civil Security Units (RCSUs), CSG Stakeholders Assistance Center (SAC) or the CSG One-Stop Shop (OSS) to avoid violations.