PNP-7 warns gun holders to renew expired license

or else guns will be considered loose firearms

By Fayette C. Riñen

CEBU CITY, December 21 (PIA) – Over 40,000 gun holders in Central Visayas have expired licenses this year as the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 issued a warning that failure to renew their licenses is tantamount to illegal possession of loose firearms.

PRO-7 Deputy Regional Director for Operations S/Supt. Louie Oppus asked gun holders to renew their firearms as the police us strengthening their close monitoring on loose firearms.

Records of the Firearms Explosives Security Agencies and Advisory Supervisory Sections (FESAGSS) under the PRO 7 showed that there are 61, 792 registered gun holders as of January, this year but 21,309 did not renew their license.

The same records also revealed that as of October, this year, there are 66,629 registered gun holders but 20,898 failed to renew their license.

FESAGSS Chief P/Supt. Rex Derilo warned gun holders with expired licenses that the police are closely monitoring loose firearms as part of strengthening their anti-criminality efforts.

Raids against gun holders with expired licenses would also be conducted, Derilo bared.

Cebu City meanwhile, have 8,951 listed gun holders with expired licenses as of January and another 7,798 for October, this year, while Cebu Province has a total of 4,252 expired licenses on January and October.

Mandaue City has 1,620 listed gun holders with expired licenses on January and another 1,444 on October while Lapulapu City has 639 and 925 expired licenses recorded in both January and October, this year.

For the province of Negros Oriental, it listed 8,156 expired licenses on January and 3,443 on October followed by Bohol with 7,235 in January and 2,849 in October.

Siquijor has the least number of expired licenses with 413 in January and 187 in October. (PIA-Cebu)