The Philippine National Police (PNP) collected 858 voluntarily surrendered firearms in Western Visayas between 15 May and 31 July, officials announced.

The turning in of the weapons through Police Regional Office 6 was part of “Project R.T.T.” (Restrict, Track and Turn-in), an initiative encouraging individuals with undocumented or improperly registered firearms to relinquish them without coercion.

Rather than waiting for illegal firearms to surface in criminal investigations, police units worked alongside community leaders, local government units, and barangay officials to identify unregistered or expired firearms and facilitate their lawful disposition.

The majority of the surrendered firearms were turned in from Iloilo, followed by Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo City, the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 6 and Guimaras.

PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the surrenders demonstrate the value of preventive policing and community cooperation.

“It is better to prevent an incident than to wait for something to happen before taking action,” Nartatez said.

“When people choose to turn over firearms voluntarily, that is already a step toward keeping families and communities safer,” he added.

Nartatez added that the PNP continues to strengthen preventive policing under the direction of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., aligning with the PNP Focused Agenda and the Enhanced Managing Police Operations framework.

In a separate operation, Nartatez reported that police arrested a man and seized six loose firearms during the execution of a search warrant in Barangay Lutucan 1, Sariaya, Quezon, on 10 August.

The operation was conducted jointly by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Quezon Provincial Field Unit, the Quezon 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company, and the Sariaya Municipal Police Station.

Officers seized six unlicensed firearms — including a .45-caliber pistol, a 9 mm pistol, a .22-caliber rifle, a .22-caliber revolver, a 12-gauge shotgun, and an improvised .380-caliber firearm — alongside magazines and ammunition.

Police said the suspect lacked a License to Own and Possess Firearms, and the weapons were not registered with the Firearms and Explosives Office, violating Republic Act No. 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

“This accomplishment sends a clear message that possession of unlicensed and unregistered firearms will not be overlooked,” Nartatez said. “We will keep pursuing individuals who disregard the law and pose a potential threat to the safety of our communities.”