PNP chief General Debold M. Sinas yesterday led the symbolic destruction of more than 7,000 pieces of assorted guns as part of the effort to prevent the possibility of these weapons being used illegally if not destroyed. The project was an initiative of PNP Director for Logistics Major Gen. Angelito A. Casimiro.
PNP destroys 7,371 seized or surrendered guns
PHILIPPINE National Police chief General Debold M. Sinas yesterday led the destruction of 7,371 pieces of assorted guns which were either seized in anti-criminality operations or surrendered in Camp Crame.
Demilitarized by the PNP were 6,338 pieces of Beyond Economical Repair or BER firearms which were either confiscated, captured, surrendered and deposited or turned over to the PNP and 1,033 units of BER PNP firearms.
The demilitarization of the BER firearms was a joint project of the PNP Directorate for Logistics headed by Major Gen. Angelito A. Casimiro and the PNP National Headquarters Disposal Committee.
“This ceremonial disposal of defective firearms and ammunition demonstrates a clear method of proper procedure in destruction of unserviceable firearms, and discarded ordnance in order to avoid occurrence of any untoward incident that may place someone else’s life in danger or at high risk,” Gen. Sinas said.
The PNP chief explained that the procedure manifests the professional responsibility of the PNP to ensure that these weapons and instruments of violence will not fall into the wrong hands and find their way into the arsenal of criminal and terrorist groups.
The Demilitarization Process involved cutting individual steel pieces into sections using circular saw or blowtorch, bending and deforming each piece, deforming hammer and trigger assembly using blow torch, grinder or power tools, and cutting or chopping wooden parts and stamp aluminum parts.
The cut-up metal pieces are disposed off as recyclable scrap materials, and may be forged or fabricated into farming tools and industrial equipment, said Maj. Gen. Casimiro.
Also present during the destruction ceremony were Commission on Audit-PNP -NHQ audit team leader Aubrey Rico, PNP Director for Operations, Major Gen. Alfred S. Corpus, PNP Civil Security Group director, Major Gen. Rolando J. Hinanay and PNP Logistics Support Service director, Brigadier. Gen. Mario A. Reyes.
“Let us continue to maintain the over-all logistical readiness with appropriate planning, programming, coordination and supervision of all logistical resources to include the assessment and regular monitoring of our Move, Shoot, Investigate and Communicate capability,” Gen. Sinas said during the event.
