The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday accepted 25 high-powered guns listed as loose firearms from a private individual in Davao City as part of the government’s campaign on citizen cooperation and responsible gun ownership.
The firearms were handed over to PNP acting chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. by Jess Martinez, chairperson of the PNP-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) Advisory Group.
The surrendered firearms consisted of various high-powered weapons, including rifles, submachine guns and shotguns. Also turned over were 70 rounds of ammunition, 15 explosives — including fragmentation grenades and 40mm grenade launcher rounds under the custody of the Regional Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and Canine Unit 11 — and four magazines.
“This is the kind of responsible action we want to see from every gun owner. The decision to voluntarily surrender firearms is a clear example of how citizens and the police can work together to keep communities safe. It’s not just about following the law— it’s about looking out for each other,” said Nartatez.
He said these weapons, previously licensed but now classified as “loose” due to expired or lapsed permits, were voluntarily surrendered to prevent potential misuse. Some of the firearms were acquired more than a decade ago, while others were obtained in recent years.
“Upon surrender, we will document if these came from him and at the same time, we will pursue examination. For example, ballistics, if these firearms were on the red list because we have certain specimens of firearms during the actual commission of crimes. We were able to recover and these will be compared to that,” Nartatez said.
He emphasized that while such firearms may have been part of the original owner’s personal collection or used for protection, leaving them unchecked could pose serious risks to the community.
The activity underscores the PNP’s Focus Agenda on proactive crime prevention, citizen engagement, and strict enforcement of loose firearms, under Enhanced Managing Police Operations.
Through this initiative, the PNP also reiterated its call for citizens to actively participate in maintaining peace and security. (PNA)
