‘1,201 loose firearms seized, 73 gun violators arrested in Cordillera in 2023’-Police

La Trinidad, Benguet - The Cordillera police continue to intensify region-wide police operations, resulting in the accumulation of 1,201 loose firearms and the arrest of 73 gun violators in 2023.

The figures were presented by PRO - Cordillera Regional Director, PBGEN David Peredo Jr.

Abra Police Provincial Office had the highest accumulated number of loose firearms with 371, followed by the Benguet PPO with 160. Other numbers include Kalinga PPO at 145, Mt. Province PPO at 138, Baguio City Police Office at 136, Ifugao PPO at 131, and Apayao PPO at 120, stated PRO-Cordillera in a press release on Saturday, January 06, 2024.

Peredo highlighted that the seized loose firearms encompassed unregistered, altered, lost, stolen, illegally manufactured firearms, registered firearms held by unauthorized individuals, and cases where licenses had been revoked.

As for the 73 apprehended gun violators, Abra PPO topped the list with 33 arrests, followed by Kalinga PPO with 23. Other numbers include Baguio City Police Office at 7, Apayao PPO at 4, Mt. Province PPO at 4, Benguet PPO at 1, and Ifugao PPO at 1.

These accomplishments, PRO-Cordillera said, were achieved through continuous engagement with communities under the PNP’s "pulong-pulong" sessions program.