ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. succeeded in pushing the provincial officials and mayors to unanimously agree to a resolution for the recall of the suspension order of permit to carry firearms (PTC) in eight towns in the 5th district of Iloilo province.
The governor, as head of the Iloilo Provincial Peace and Order Council, made this announcement after a closed-door meeting this week also with the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Iloilo Chapter.
Defensor said they will send the resolution to the Police Regional Office-6 headed by Chief Supt Cipriano Quirol Jr. and to PNP Chief Director General Raul Bacalzo.
The suspension of PTC covers the northern towns of Ajuy, Balasan, Batad, Carles, Concepcion, Estancia, San Dionisio and Sara. Three other towns exempted of the order are Barotac Viejo, Lemery and San Rafael.
Defensor, in a press conference, showed crime rate data of the eight towns affected by the order. The data, given by the Iloilo Provincial Police Office under Senior Supt. Gil Lebin, showed that the order to suspend the PTC has no basis, said the governor.
The order was only based on the report of the Task Force Northern Iloilo, which is directly under the PRO-6, thus Lebin said he had no prior idea about it.
The governor questioned the task force's report because records showed there was even a decrease in crime rate. The district's record on index crimes was even less than the other districts of the province, he said.
Fifth District has 92 index crimes (less than last year's 126), the 2nd District has 110, the 3rd District has 121, and Fourth District has 108. The total index crime in the Fifth District of which is 92 is even less compared to that of last year's record of which is 126.
Present during the meeting were 35 of 43 mayors in Iloilo province. Defensor said he could not disclose yet any further action to take because they would still consider the action of the PNP Chief.
In a related development, Senator Miriam Santiago was reported to have already called on for the Senate to investigate the matter. - THE FREEMAN