NATIONAL Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Guillermo T. Eleazar said the police will observe a strict enforcement on expiring or expired gun licenses through “Oplan Katok,” as part of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) crime prevention and security measures for the upcoming midterm elections. Mr. Eleazar said door-to-door operations will be based on a list of gun owners who are candidates for gun license renewal from the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office. “Kaya ang ginagawa natin is ire-remind natin yung mga bahay, kakatukin natin, bibigyan ng letter, tapos sasabihan na mag–e-expire na o expired,” said Mr. Eleazar in a phone interview with BusinessWorld on Sunday, Feb. 17. (So what we are doing is we will remind gun owners, go to their houses, give them letters, and inform them if their firearms licenses are expiring or have already expired.) The NCRPO chief said police will assist gun owners in renewing their licenses while the surrendered firearms are in police safekeeping. “We will not arrest them, we will not charge them. Pero kung alam namin na expired license at hindi man lang sinu-surrender and then may impormasyon na involved with other activities, we can conduct a case with the operation para ma-file-an ng search warrant (But if we discover that a license has expired and the firearm not surrendered, then there’s information on their involvement in other activities, we can conduct a case with the operation so we can file a search warrant),” Mr. Eleazar said. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

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