KIDAPAWAN CITY – Eighty-four assorted loose firearms and five explosives were turned over to the North Cotabato Police Provincial Office (NCPPO) at the launching of the “Tugro Pusil Program” in the province on Tuesday.
The “Tugro Pusil” — an Ilonggo word for firearm turnover — is a localized version of the national government’s “Balik Baril” program, said Col. Henry Villar, NCPPO director.
Villar said the firearms were handed over by illegal gun holders from this city and the 17 municipalities of the province through their respective local government units.
The surrendered weapons included 35 12-gauge shotguns, two 12-gauge homemade pistols, 24 .38-caliber revolvers, five .45-caliber pistols, four homemade .45 pistols, one .22 -caliber pistol, two .22-caliber rifles, one .22-caliber revolver, three M79 grenade launchers, one M203 rifle, three homemade machine guns, one Ultimax rifle, two Carbine rifles, and five grenades.
“This program is being implemented in coordination with barangay officials who personally convinced their constituents to surrender their firearms,” Villar said during the program at the NCCPO headquarters in Kidapawan City.
Villar said the program also aims to curb the number of unresolved shooting incidents that possibly involves illegal gun holders.
“I urge the general public to cooperate with the programs of the Philippine National Police to eliminate, if not pre-empt, crimes involving loose firearms,” he added. -PNA
