Iloilo police boost drive vs loose firearms

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By Jennifer P. Rendon

Hundreds of guns were either surrendered or deposited as the Iloilo Police Provincial Office and the Iloilo City Police Office strengthened their campaign against loose firearms.

In a simultaneous event Monday, the ICPO and IPPO presented firearms in their custody as part of the Philippine National Police’s initiative to revitalize its campaign against criminality, specifically targeting the proliferation of loose firearms.

The campaign uses both the soft-hand approach, known as “Tokhang Panagbalay,” and the iron-hand approach, which involves strict law enforcement through focused police operations.

In both the ICPO and IPPO, the firearms presented Monday were all part of the soft-hand approach.

From January 2025 to May 15, 2026, different IPPO units accounted for 892 firearms.

Of the total, 549 were surrendered from Jan. 1 to May 15, 2026, while 343 were surrendered for the whole of 2025.

In 2026, the Igbaras Municipal Police Station recorded the highest number of surrendered firearms at 32, followed by Mina MPS with 31 and Batad MPS with 29.

Last year, Janiuay MPS accounted for the highest number of surrendered firearms with 21.

The 2nd Iloilo Provincial Mobile Force Company came second with 18, followed by Sara MPS with 16.

Col. Bayani Razalan, Iloilo police chief, said the campaign has helped reduce the number of crimes involving firearms.

“Sa mga inuman, maraming nagbabarilan gamit ang mga unlicensed firearms. We hope to reduce that incident by taking these unlicensed firearms from their owners,” he said.

Meanwhile, the ICPO accounted for 140 loose firearms that were voluntarily surrendered from October 2025 to May 2026.

Iloilo City Police Station 1 accounted for four firearms; ICPS 2, eight; ICPS 3, 16; ICPS 4, 10; ICPS 5, 18; ICPS 6, 14; ICPS 7, seven; ICPS 8, 15; ICPS 9, 17; ICPS 10, 11; ICPO Headquarters, three; and the Iloilo City Mobile Force Company, 17.

“We thank the community for its continued support in our campaign against loose firearms that may be used in illegal activities. This initiative reflects the trust and confidence of the community in the police, as well as their strong commitment to maintaining peace and order,” Col. Wilbert Parilla, ICPO chief, said.

On May 7–8, 2026, the ICPO also conducted a two-day License to Own and Possess Firearms Caravan at the conference hall of the Nutrition Center, ICARE Building, General Luna Street, Iloilo City, to further promote responsible and lawful firearm ownership.

Loose firearms refer to unregistered, expired, illegally possessed, or unauthorized firearms that may pose risks to public safety if left unchecked.

All surrendered firearms will be turned over to the Regional Civil Security Unit 6 for proper disposal.