RCSU 11 director Colonel Richard Verceles during the AFP-PNP Press Corps briefing on Wednesday ( May 10) at The Royal Mandaya Hotel said his office is aiming to reduce at least 50 percent of loose firearms before the elections.
“In line with the barangay elections in October, we have intensified our campaign against loose firearms wherein our target has been set by the director CSU Brigadier Benjamin Silo Jr. to reduce at least 50 percent of these loose firearms before the elections,” Verceles said.
He said the policemen in Region 11 are going house to house for their “Oplan Katok” to inform and remind those firearms holders to renew their respective firearms or if not to deposit these firearms to the nearest police stations or at RCSU for accounting purposes.
In Davao Region, according to him, they targeted 100 percent reduction of loose firearms.
The current figure of unregistered firearms in the region increased to 20,251 wherein majority are in Davao City with 12,057 or roughly 60 percent of the total unrenewed firearms.
Verceles is thankful to the Local Government Units and their AFP counterpart because they already volunteered to renew their firearms.
To get support from the communities especially in their campaign against loose firearms,RCSU 11 has established stakeholders assistance centers in Digos City in Davao del Sur, Tagum City in Davao del Norte, and at SM City Davao.
“You could process your respective firearms licenses, license to own and possess firearms even during weekends,” he said.
This is a program of General Silo to bring the regulatory services of the Philippine National Police closer to the people in compliance with the ease of doing business.
The center will also cater not only to firearms licenses but also to other regulatory services such as licenses to exercise security professions for security guards.
Verceles, meanwhile said, Davao Region is PAG’s (private armed groups) free as there are no private armed groups operating in the region.
The assessment was based on the result of the last meeting of the National Task Force on the Disbandment of private groups conducted last March 15 in Kidapawan City which was attended by Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Police Colonel Richard Verceles, RCSU 11 director