The Philippine National Police (PNP) has affirmed that the ‘Oplan Katok’ initiative will persist during the election period, emphasizing that it is not intended as a tool for harassment. PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil clarified that the operation, which involves police officers visiting homes of gun owners with expired licenses, aims to encourage these individuals to renew their licenses or surrender their firearms during the renewal process. Marbil stressed that firearms with expired licenses are classified as loose guns, which can lead to legal issues for the owners.
During a press interaction at the PNP Day celebration in Camp Crame, Quezon City, Marbil explained that ‘Oplan Katok’ is a standard police procedure designed to track all firearms, as they are a primary source of violence. This statement came in response to concerns raised by Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia, who suggested that the campaign might be used to intimidate candidates and voters before the upcoming May elections.
Marbil refuted these claims, stating that the police only target homes with unregistered firearms and not all residences. He plans to address these concerns directly with the Comelec chairman, asserting that the operation is a crucial part of regular police duties aimed at controlling the spread of loose firearms, including those with expired licenses or those lost by owners, which could potentially be used in violent acts during the election period.
The PNP reported over 500,000 firearms with expired licenses in the country in 2023. PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo mentioned that a meeting with Comelec officials is scheduled for next week to further discuss the issue. Additionally, the PNP is currently enforcing gun ban checkpoints from January 12 to June 11 during the election period.