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Manila Bulletin devider devider W. Visayas to intensify campaign vs loose firearms

W. Visayas to intensify campaign vs loose firearms

Published Jul 26, 2018 11:25 am
By Aaron Recuenco Police forces in Western Visayas have started to intensify the campaign against loose firearms as part of the early security preparations for the midterm elections in May next year. Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao (PNP / MANILA BULLETIN) Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao
(PNP / MANILA BULLETIN) But Chief Supt. John Bulalacao, director of the Western Visayas regional police, said the move is also aimed at reducing the crime rate since a local study found out that more than 418 criminal incidents in the region were perpetrated using loose firearms. “The incidents involving the use of firearms can be attributed to the proliferation of loose firearms in the country and in the region,” Bulalacao told the Manila Bulletin. “The evil source are those illegally manufactured locally known as ‘paltik’ or ‘pugakhang’ to include those patented firearms that were registered but reported lost or stolen, firearms acquired from various sources that have not undergone the proper registration process,” he added. Based on the latest data in the region, the official said they have already accounted for 1,434 loose guns. “With the spike on gun-related crimes perpetrated by the Motorcycle-Riding Suspects (MRS), there is a need for us to strategize, orchestrate and intensify operations to prevent gun-related crimes especially of the forthcoming midterm elections,” Bulalacao said. Earlier, the PNP leadership has ordered all police commanders to initiate early election preparations amid the series of killings involving local chief executives. Based on the PNP data, incidents of gun attacks usually go up before, during and after the election period. Bulalacao said their anti-loose firearms campaign is embodied on the program, which was launched yesterday, which will use soft and iron hand against the violators. The soft hand approach, according to him, shall be undertaken through information operations or house visitations targeting suspected/validated firearm holders and the entire community before initiating appropriate police operations thru the Targeted Police Operation (TPO) or the “iron hand approach”.
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