Cordi cops nab 1.7K wanted persons, confiscate 767 guns

By Liza Agoot  

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet – Cordillera police officers arrested 1,717 persons wanted for various crimes and recovered 767 loose firearms as part of their relentless anti-crime campaign. 
    Capt. Marnie Abellanida, Police Regional Office - Cordillera information officer, said this was the result of "intensified manhunt operations” from January to December 2020.
    The number includes 264 individuals listed as top most wanted persons and 1,453 suspects who have standing arrest warrants.
    He said the Baguio City Police has recorded the highest number of arrested wanted persons at 100, followed by Benguet with 78; Kalinga with 27; Abra with 25; Ifugao with 15; Mountain Province with 10; and Apayao with nine.
    The most wanted person figure includes 12 at the regional level, 103 at the provincial level, and 149 at the municipal level.
    Meanwhile, out of the 767 loose firearms, 657 were surrendered by various individuals, 86 were confiscated, and 24 were recovered in various police operations.
    Abra recorded the highest number of recovered loose firearms with 288, followed by Benguet with 128; Ifugao with 86; Kalinga with 77, Mountain Province with 72, Apayao with 69, and Baguio City with 47.
    Abellanida defined loose firearms as unregistered firearms; an obliterated or altered firearm that has been lost or stolen; illegally manufactured firearms; registered firearms in the possession of an individual other than the licensee; and those with revoked licenses under the rules and regulations.
    He said the accomplishment to account for loose firearms was the result of the continuous conduct of police operations region-wide and the engagement with the community through dialogue with residents in support of the PNP’s intensified campaign against loose firearms. -- PNA