City returns 171 guns to police

CEBU, Philippines - A total of 171 firearms have been turned over by the Cebu City General Services Office to the police stations as of yesterday.

GSO officer-in-charge Ronald Malacora said they have started returning the city-issued firearms to Cebu City Police Office since August 16, as per directive of Mayor Tomas Osmeña, following the recommendation of Police Regional Office-7 director Noli Taliño.

To recall, Taliño recommended that the city turn over the firearms to the nearest police stations for “safekeeping.”

Malacora said the 171 firearms returned to the police comprised of shotguns, rifles and short firearms.

He said CCPO personnel picked up the firearms at their office.

As per city government’s list, a total of 249 firearms have been previously issued to CCPO and their licenses have expired as of 2014 yet.

Of the remaining 79 on the list, 26 are still not yet returned, which they are now trying to locate, said Malacora.

“Of the listed 249, duna’y 26 kabuok nga wala ma-turn over, wala mauli sa mga tag-iya. Unya ang resulta sa atong report sa inventory, wala siya mabalik kay dili nila ma-locate. So nagpatabang ta’s CCPO kung asa na nang mga polisa ‘ron. Basin na-reassign na og mga laing lugar,” Malacora told reporters yesterday.

Should the police officer issued with the gun fails to eventually return it to the city government, they will be issued with a final demand order as per advice by the City Legal Office, said Malacora.

The 52 firearms now still remaining at the GSO are subject for repair.

 “So far, minimal ra. Repairable ra based sa atong inspector. Except lang sa gipasagdahan na murag gikitkit,” said Malacora.

Osmeña earlier ordered the CCPO as well as the city councilors, department heads, barangay officials and City Hall employees to return the firearms issued to them by the city government.

He said the move was for an inventory. (FREEMAN)