KORONADAL CITY: Police are still verifying the ownership of a loaded.45-calibre pistol allegedly seized from a Grade 12 female student at the gate of Notre Dame of Matalam in Matalam, North Cotabato, on Oct. 1, following conflicting claims between her and her father.
Lt Col Marvin Hugos, chief of the Matalam Municipal Police Station, said in a radio interview on Monday that investigators were looking into possibly filing charges against the student’s father under Republic Act No. 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
The father, who is a member of a Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT), denied owning the firearm.
Police said the 17-year-old student, however, claimed that the gun allegedly belonged to her father.
Hugos said any decision to file charges would depend on the evidence gathered during the investigation and the police legal team’s assessment.
The loaded pistol was found inside a sling bag kept in the compartment of the motorcycle the student was driving.
Police said the motorcycle was registered in the father’s name.
The firearm has been submitted for forensic examination, while police are coordinating with the Regional Civil Security Unit to determine whether it is registered and identify its legal owner.
The student, meanwhile, was placed under appropriate assessment and intervention as a child in conflict with the law (CICL), in accordance with existing laws.
Following the incident, police said they have stepped up coordination with schools and barangays in Matalam, including room-to-room visits across schools in the municipality.
Headline change: “Police verify ownership of gun seized from student in Cotabato” replaces “Cops verify ownership of gun seized from student in Cotabato”. “Police” is more formal and suitable for an international audience, while retaining the original meaning and keeping the focus on the ongoing ownership investigation.
