A total of 60 firearms were recovered by personnel from the Waterfront Police Station in an abandoned office formerly used by a security agency in Barangay Roque, Cebu City on Tuesday, October 10, 2023. | Contributed photo via Emmariel Ares
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Some 60 firearms, which were left by a security agency inside an abandoned office in Barangay San Roque, Cebu City, were turned over to the authorities on Tuesday, October 10, 2023.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Albert Reeves Quilitorio, chief of Police Community Relations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), told reporters that police personnel recovered firearms kept inside an office space that had not been used for a while.
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“Naa tay nag-abandon ug gi-turn over sa ato nga armas. Abot ni silag mga 60 kabuok. Sagol-sagol naa tay shotgun, naa tay .38 ug naa tay .22,” said Quilotorio.
(There were those who abandoned and the guns were turned over to us. These reached 60 guns. These are different guns, we have a shotgun, we have a .38, and we have a .22.)
Quilitorio said that the space was last rented and used by a security agency that had long stopped operating.
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He said that the guns were found after the owners of the office, opened it, when they failed to contact the security agency to ask the latter to get their things left inside the office.
The owners entered the office so that they could start renovation work of it, but instead they found the guns inside.
“Naay usa ka security agency tapos nag-abang sila sa usa ka lugar. Tapos wala na nila gamita. Gamiton na sa tag-iya karon. Tagaan silag letter nga kuhaon nila ilang mga gamit,” he said.
(We have a security agency that leased the place. But they did not use it now. The owner would like to use the space. He sent a letter asking them to remove their things inside the office.)
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A report about the firearms found was made to the Waterfront Police Station who immediately headed to the area to verify.
Personnel recovered from the abandoned office 39 pieces of .38 caliber revolver, 6 pieces of .22 caliber revolver, and 15 pieces of 12 gauge shotgun.
According to the CCPO in a statement, the authorities tried to get in contact with the security agency involved to verify and obtain more information. However, the agency has been unreachable, as of this writing.
Quilitorio said that for the safekeeping of the confiscated firearms, the guns will remain in the custody of the Waterfront Police Station.
The confiscated weapons will also be checked by the Firearms and Explosives Office.
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According to Quilitorio, the owners of the firearms may claim their belongings from police as long as they bring the proper documentation such as the license to own and possess firearms.
Quilotorio said that this confiscation of firearms would show the efforts of both police and members of the community to maintain the peace and order in the city especially with the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on October 30, 2023.
“Mao ni nagpakita nga ang atong mga stakeholders ug mga community, aware sila sa nahitabo mao nang moreport sila dayon. Usa ni nga testament nga atong mga stakeholders, niparticipate gyud sa pag-maintain sa peace and order especially sa moabot na election,” he said.
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(This shows that our stakeholders and the community are aware of what are happening in their areas and they would report this immediately. That is one testament of our stakeholders, they will participate in maintaining peace and order especially in the coming elections.)
With election day drawing nearer, Cebu City police will be intensifying their implementation of checkpoints to apprehend persons carrying loose firearms in violation of the election gun ban.
“Sa [instruction] sa atong city director, giintensify nato atong pag-conduct sa mga checkpoint,” stated Quilitorio.
He also relayed that as part of their campaign against illegal firearms, they have confiscated 16 firearms from September 1 to 30.