POLICE forces across Western Visayas arrested 18 wanted individuals and secured 12 surrendered firearms in a single 24-hour regional crackdown targeting loose weapons and fugitives.
According to a Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) report covering September 7 to September 8, law enforcement units executed 13 separate operations against unregistered weapons.
The efforts led to the voluntary surrender of 12 firearms and the recovery of three explosive items.
Additionally, two firearms were deposited under the police’s Accounting for Disposition of Firearms with Expired Registration (ADFER) program.
Simultaneously, regional intelligence and manhunt operations resulted in the arrest of 18 fugitives.
Among those taken into custody were two regional-level most wanted persons, one provincial-level target, five municipal-level most wanted individuals, and 10 other wanted suspects facing various legal warrants.
PRO-6 Regional Director Police Brigadier General Randulf T. Tuaño commended operating units and credited community cooperation for the successful sweeps.
“Every firearm voluntarily surrendered is a potential threat removed from our communities, while every wanted person brought before the law is an important step toward a safer Western Visayas,” PBGen. Tuaño stated.
Tuaño affirmed that PRO-6 will maintain intelligence-led, community-backed operations to disarm lawless elements and locate remaining fugitives.
Regional police urged the public to continue reporting illegal firearms and suspicious activity to local stations or through Unified 911.
