MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / June 17, 2014) – Philippine Police Director General Alan Purisima has ordered an increase in patrol and to strictly enforce gun-control in an effort to curb the rising criminality following the spate of high-profile killings in the country, government spokesman Herminio Coloma said.
He said Purisima issued the order during a command conference on June 16 where police forces were told to increase visibility through intensified patrols and checkpoints, stricter enforcement of gun-control measures, neutralization of guns-for-hire and implementation of search warrants for loose firearms.
Coloma said the increased police visibility and checkpoints would deter criminals.
He said Purisima also ordered to fast track the processing of applications to fill up 18,568 vacancies for police officers, and 13,000 positions for non-uniformed personnel as authorized by the National Police Commission. The hiring of additional police officers will improve the ratio to one police officer for every 579 citizens from the present ratio of one cop for every 675 citizens.
“Another important move taken by the Philippine National Police is the stricter enforcement of gun control pursuant to its duty as the chief implementing agency for Republic Act No. Republic Act No. 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act passed in 2013,” Coloma said.
Before the May 2013 elections, the PNP conducted Oplan Katok, a nationwide door-to-door campaign to verify ownership of registered firearms.
“This was also aimed at neutralizing partisan armed groups or private armies. The successful conduct of this campaign resulted in a significantly lower incidence of election-related violence, especially in known hot spots,” Coloma said.
But legitimate gun owners said the police should run after hired killers and not those people, particularly businessmen and professionals, who carry guns for their own protection against lawless elements.
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