More than 40 firearms surrendered, deposited amid Comelec gun ban

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) here said 47 firearms were surrendered and deposited since the start of the implementation of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gun ban this month.

Police Lieutenant Abegael Donasco, Nocppo’s public information officer, said 36 firearms were surrendered while 11 others were deposited for safekeeping in various police stations from Jan. 9 to 23, 2022.

Donasco said the surrendered firearms have no licenses and were mostly homemade or improvised guns, while deposited firearms were genuine or patented with unrenewed licenses.

Once the license is renewed, the deposited firearm can be claimed, she added.

With this development, Donasco said the decision of the gun owners is a big help in their campaign against loose firearms.

“Seeing people na ga surrender sang firearms voluntarily, ga amat-amat na nubo kag ubos ang mga unregistered unlicensed firearms ta,” Donasco said.

She also noted that it is timely because of the election season.

The provincial police force has intensified its checkpoint operations against gun ban violators in the province.