CAMP GEN OSCAR FLORENDO, La Union–Police Chief Superintendent Romulo E. Sapitula, Ilocos Philippine National Police Regional Director, said that the intensified campaign is embodied in PRO1’s Implementation of LOI “Kontra Boga,” which aims to eliminate loose firearms issues in the Ilocos region and its personal target includes unregistered and unlicensed firearms as well as those with expired and unrenewed license.
The said operation is in compliance with the directive of CNCP Oscar Albayalde to account all loose firearms in the regions “to remove the instruments of would- be- killings and shooting incidents.”
PCSupt Sapitula said that this is also in preparation for the
forthcoming 2019 election, with the aim of dismantling private armed
groups.
Out of 341 estimated number of loose firearms, only 43 loose firearms including 8 high powered and 35 low powered firearms were recovered in the region. For the month of October 2018, a total of 21 police operations were conducted and 24 search warrants were implemented resulting in the arrest of 42 persons.
Police operations against unregistered firearms involve dragnet operations in crime-prone areas, strict implementation of Oplan Bakal and Oplan Sita, the conduct of mobile -checkpoint and chokepoint operations, intelligence build up and application and service of search warrants. Valerine Fay V. Paculan/Northbound Philippines News