PNP Surigao Norte sets final reprieve for loose gun holders this October

Owner of unlicensed and unregistered guns throughout the province have the whole month of October to benefit of the Philippine National Police's (PNP) final amnesty for loose firearms, this was the statement made by Prov'l Director Sr. Supt. David Ombao recently.

Dir. Ombao said they continue to appeal to the owners of unlicensed firearms to avail of the amnesty program in compliance with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's directive to conduct intensified campaign against the proliferation of illegal firearms and to minimize election-related violent incidents brought about by the increase of loose firearms in the coming 2010 elections.

Ombao bared that under EO 817 the gun amnesty will start this October 1 and will end on the 31st of this month. However, Ombao said that they have already been doing information dissemination on loose firearms last August this year.

"We are already doing this, since August pa. Sinimulan na naming habang pinoprocess pa yung proseso ng amnesty, meron na kaming mga dissemination program na inadvice sa amin ng higher headquarters."

Ombao then urged all Surigaonons who are holders of firearms with expired licenses to register their guns so that they will not be penalized.

"They will only have to secure an application form at the nearest local police station and pay a fixed amount of P650. After payment, they will be given temporary permit until the release of the permanent license."

Also, Ombao added that for the loose firearm they will only have to pay P1,000 and it could be paid at any Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) branch.

"After payment and filing of proper documentations, the loose firearms will then be subjected to ballistic examination at the Firearms and Explosives Division at Camp Crame in Manila and verification process will only take 2 to 3 days."

PNP here estimated that there are about 400 unregistered firearms in the entire province and more than half of the figure represent firearms with expired licenses, that were not renewed by the owner. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)

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