PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil assured firearms owners with expired licenses and other permits, notably candidates in the May 12 elections, that they would not be subjected to search warrants during the campaign period.
“Gen. Marbil has given the assurance to the Commission on Elections that our revitalized gun control program will not be used to intimidate and harass people, specifically candidates during the election period,” PNP spokesperson and concurrent Police Regional Office-III chief, Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said.
Fajardo added however, that their revitalized gun control program will be sustained even during the election period through the service of search warrants and warrants of arrest against individuals using guns to commit violence and other forms of criminality.
“Our Revitalized Katok is targeting delinquent firearm holders and we are encouraging them to renew their License to Own and Possess Firearms and Firearm Registration. But there will be no search warrants for political aspirants, juridical entities or civilians,” Fajardo said.
She also said under Oplan Katok, gun-holders with expired registration and permits to carry would be formally notified by the police to renew their permits or surrender their guns for temporary safekeeping until they have already renewed the pertinent papers.
“The recourse is assuming that despite three notices and the gun-owner did not comply to renew his license, the PNP will convene a board that will study the possible revocation of the individual’s LTOFPs and Firearm Registration,” Fajardo said.
The PNP consistently assured the public that there will be no search warrants applied on delinquent firearm holders in the country during the election period to allay fears of harassment among the candidates and their supporters.
“We won’t do that. The police will not apply search warrants against holders of licensed firearms. There is no search warrant to harass gun holders,” Fajardo said.
She also said that since they have a common ground, the PNP leadership has assured the Comelec that the Revitalized Katok has already been implemented since 2002 as part of a national program for firearms registration.
Nonetheless, she gave assurance that the PNP program has resulted in the identification of some gun holders who have transferred their residences. Others have already died, but their heirs continue to keep on their firearms believing that gun ownership was automatically transferred to them.
“It is not automatic that when a licensed gun holder dies, his gun will go to his wife or children. They also need to go through processes such as obtaining a License to Own and Possess Firearms and Firearm Registration,” Fajardo said.