Gun owners in C. Visayas with expired license cannot get police clearance

By Fayette C. Ri�en

Wednesday 6th of June 2012

CEBU CITY, June 6 (PIA) -- Gun owners in Central Visayas who failed to renew their licenses will be denied police clearance as the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 is currently coordinating with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 to also do the same.

P/Supt. Rex Derilo, chief of the Firearms, Explosives, Security Agencies and Guards Supervision Section (FESAGSS) of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 issued this stern warning amid the turtle pace in the renewal of licenses.

Derilo said their records show that there are 27,819 gun owners in Region 7 that have expired firearms license as of March, this year.

“We have already notified the various police offices in the region to send respective notices to the gun owners in their list and remind them of their responsibility to renew,” said Derilo.

Derilo added that guns whose licenses have expired are already considered loose firearms.

Under the ‘Kontra Boga’ campaign of the Philippine National Police, one of the measures undertaken to ensure that gun owners are reminded to renew their expired gun license is to conduct house visitations.

But this however hit a snag, admitted Derilo. “In the conduct of house visitations by our police personnel on the field, we received reports that the gun owners no longer live on the listed address,” he said.

Derilo also claimed that some of the names of gun owners listed in their registration record are fictitious which makes it difficult for them to pursue.

To force gun owners to meet their obligation, Derilo said gun owners with expired licenses will not be given police clearance in case they need one.

“We are also coordinating with the NBI 7 to ask them to deny NBI clearance to firearms holders who failed to renew their license,” bared Derilo.

The FESAGSS 7 chief said legal action will be taken against individuals with expired gun license after failing to renew after two years. (FYC/PIA-Cebu)