In a significant effort to enhance public safety, the Police Regional Office-Cordillera Administrative Region (PROCAR) has successfully gathered 1,151 firearms throughout 2024. These firearms were collected through 1,202 police operations conducted from January 1 to December 31. According to Col. Carolina Lacuata, the PROCAR information officer, the majority of these firearms, totaling 1,038, were voluntarily surrendered by their owners or possessors. Additionally, 81 firearms were confiscated, and 32 were recovered during these operations.
The ‘Oplan Katok’ program, a key initiative of the Philippine National Police (PNP), played a crucial role in this achievement. The program encourages firearm owners to either renew their licenses or surrender their weapons to police custody if they choose not to renew. Lacuata emphasized that firearms with expired licenses are classified as loose firearms, and possessing them can lead to charges of illegal firearm possession.
During the year, 82 individuals were arrested, and 77 cases were filed in connection with these operations. The firearms collected were predominantly from Abra, with 388 units, followed by Benguet (158), Kalinga (144), Ifugao (132), Mt. Province (128), Baguio City (113), and Apayao (88). Lacuata noted that the high number of surrenders from Abra indicates a community striving for change and safer living conditions.
The timing of these operations is particularly significant as the election period is set to begin on January 12. Lacuata stressed the importance of surrendering undocumented firearms to prevent their misuse, especially during sensitive times like elections. She advised that placing firearms in police custody is a proactive measure to avoid the temptation of carrying or using them unlawfully.