The Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Wednesday that its campaign to account for some 1.1 million loose firearms in the country is on the right track following the confiscation and surrender of a total of 20,419 guns from January to July this year.

Senior Supt. Leonardo Espina, PNP spokesman, said they are expecting more firearms to be accounted across the country what with the gun amnesty slated from October 1 to 31 and their decision to start the processing for guns with expired licenses as early as August 1.

“A total of 20,419 loose firearms were accounted by the Philippine National Police as of July 31, 2009 as police units continue intensified operations to disarm threat groups, criminal elements, and partisan armed groups, and unauthorized firearm holders,” said Espina.

Espina said the figure is an encouraging signs of a successful implementation of the National Firearms Control Program.

Quoting records from the PNP, the official said they have recorded 231 police-initiated actions against firearms through Oplan Bakal or gun check operations, mobile checkpoint operations, Internal Security Operations against threat groups, service of Search Warrants and armed encounters with gun law violators.

A total of 357 suspects were arrested in these operations while 14 suspects were killed and seven were wounded, he said. A total of 595 loose firearms were confiscated in the operations.

For his part, Director General Jesus Verzosa, PNP chief, commended the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), Police Regional Office 4A (CALABARZON), and Police Regional Office 7 (Central Visayas) which are the top performers in the opening months of the firearms control campaign in terms of police initiated operations.

“In the administrative aspect of implementation of the National Firearms Control Program, a total of 19, 824 firearm licenses were renewed as of July 31, 2009. The number represents 3.54 percent of the total 559,326 firearms with expired licenses that are the subject of accounting and documentation,” said Verzosa.