THE total gun ban in eight northern Iloilo towns might be lifted in the coming days, a ranking official of the Police Regional Office (PRO-6) said.
A PNA news item quoted S/Supt. Manuel Felix, PRO-6 deputy regional director for operations, who said the lifting of the suspension of permits to carry firearms outside of residence (PTCFOR) in the 5th district may take effect within this week.
Felix, who also heads Task Force Kalinong in northern Iloilo, said the basis of the lifting of the gun ban will depend on the peace and order situation in the towns of Ajuy, Balasan, Batad, Carles, Concepcion, Estancia, San Dionisio and Sara.
The towns of Barotac Viejo, San Rafael and Lemery were excluded from the gun ban.
“If it is true that the objectives of the PTCFOR suspension have been achieved, then lifting of the suspension is forthcoming,” the news item quoted Felix.
Citing intelligence reports, Felix said roaming armed groups have fled the towns where the gun ban is in effect.
The gun ban was implemented by the PNP upon the recommendations of PRO-6 director, C/Supt. Cipriano Querol Jr. over alleged rising lawlessness and proliferation of illegal firearms in the area. The ban took effect from July 2011 and is supposed to end in January 2012.
The Iloilo provincial government, municipal mayors, vice mayors and village chiefs have raised opposition to the suspension of PTCFOR in northern Iloilo due to lack of justifiable basis and prior public consultation.
Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. said he is optimistic that the PNP will lift the gun ban due to pressures from various sectors in the province.
Defensor said he is expecting the response of Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, who has jurisdiction over the Philippine National Police (PNP), and Police Director General Raul Bacalzo to his request to lift the controversial order.
Bacalzo sent an evaluation team to Iloilo late last month to check the peace and order situation in the 5th district and implementation of the gun ban.
The PNP, so far, has arrested one person from San Dionisio, Iloilo for carrying a homemade shotgun in the streets of Sara town.
The police also raided the homes of three village officials in Sara on suspicion of keeping unlicensed firearms but they failed to recover any gun.
The ban was criticized by the mayors’ league and provincial peace and order council as capricious and arbitrary.
19jherman68's Blog Site 