520 firearms confiscated from private security personnel in ‘street inspections’

Some 526 firearms were confiscated during street inspections on private security personnel from 1 to 20 January 1, the National Police said.

Those firearms, of various calibers, were confiscated by the Civil Security Group-Supervisory Office on Security and Investigation Agencies (CSG-SOSIA) after those carrying them failed to present a valid permit or license to own and possess a firearm, PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos said.

Firearms can also be confiscated from private security personnel who could not present a duty detail order or showed an expired one, he said.

Some of the confiscated firearms were found to have been tampered with, defaced, and having duplicated serial numbers.

“That comes with a penalty,” Carlos said. He noted that the law governing the security industry stipulates that firearms violations graded as “grave offenses” entail a P50,000 fine for the first offense, and cancellation or revocation of private security service providers’ license to operate for the second offense.

The PNP chief called on private security service providers to take heed of the rules and regulations of the security industry and update themselves with the latest SOSIA Memorandum-Advisories to avoid violations.