MANILA: Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Marbil ordered officers to intensify its efforts against private armed groups and loose firearms ahead of the 2025 midterm elections.
“By aggressively targeting private armed groups and the illegal firearms they use, we are dismantling their capacity for violence and intimidation,” Marbil said in a statement Thursday (Dec 12).
“This directive is designed to bolster public safety and mitigate potential violence, thereby promoting a peaceful democratic process,” he added.
It reported halving the number of private armed groups from six in 2023 to three in 2024, after the disbandment of the Kunti Melo group in Bukidnon and the Bal and Mayo groups in Nueva Ecija.
The PNP also claimed it had reduced the number of potential private armies from 28 to five after arrests and surrenders.
Meanwhile, for its campaign against loose firearms, PNP said it arrested 8,628 individuals from Jan. 1 to Nov. 30, 2024, for violations of the Firearm and Ammunition Regulation Act.
Of those arrests, 2,033 were in Metro Manila, 979 in Central Luzon, and 906 in Central Visayas.
Further, the police force reported 25,240 loose firearms either confiscated or surrendered, with the most from Central Visayas at 3,951. Western Visayas followed with 3,023 firearms confiscated or surrendered, then Metro Manila with 2,175.
Meanwhile, 9,932 firearms were turned over for safekeeping, 2,797 of which were from Calabarzon.
“Our intensified campaign against private armed groups and loose firearms underscores our commitment to providing a safe environment for every Filipino, especially as we approach the election period,” Marbil said. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
