MORE politicians will be subjected to gun raids soon. And those linked to the New Peoples Army will be the priority.
Superintendent Joem Malong, Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) spokesperson, said they are now starting to check the data of politicians who have failed to renew their firearm licenses.
But Malong did not give the number of those who will be subjected of focused police operations.
They are still subject for validation. But once the validation proves that they are still keeping unlicensed firearms and have failed to surrender or deposit them to the police station, we would apply for a search warrant to raid them, she said.
Malongs statement came in the heels of the pronouncement made by Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, Western Visayas police chief, that some politicians in the region have employed the services of the New Peoples Army (NPA) or partisan armed groups (PAGs) to advance their election interests.
These politicians might allow these armed men to use their firearms to intimidate the public, Malong said.
The most recent politician to be raided by police for keeping unlicensed guns is incumbent Sangguniang Bayan member and mayoralty bet Francisco Calvo, 48, of Calinog, Iloilo.
Police later learned that Calvo had valid licenses for his two firearms while two others were defective.
Calvos camp labelled the raid as political harassment.
But Malong said that the conduct of police is devoid of any political color.
We based on information and intelligence reports that we gathered, she said.
Since July 24, 2017, the day the PRO-6 started with the Tokhang Kontra Guinadili-an nga Pusil, Malong said they conducted 35,586 Tokhang activities.
Iloilo province mounted 9,147 operations while Negros Occidental carried out 8,948 and Iloilo City with 8,530.
Capiz had 5,183 operations; Antique with 2,646; Aklan with 885; and Guimaras with 247.
The list did not include Bacolod City.
Of the number, only 6,563 owners (18.44 percent) surrendered or deposited their firearms with the police.
Now, the other 29,023 will be subjected to focused police operation if they fail to surrender their firearm, Malong said.
These police operations would target ordinary persons and even the untouchables alike, she added.
