A total of 277 loose firearms were voluntarily surrendered to the Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO-6) within a 24-hour period as authorities intensified their campaign against unlicensed and undocumented guns across the region.
From 6 a.m. on September 16 to 5:59 a.m. on September 17, 2026, PRO-6 conducted 177 operations targeting loose firearms in Western Visayas. Police also confiscated two firearms, recovered an explosive device and arrested one person during the operations.
The campaign resulted in a total of 279 firearms being removed from communities during the 24-hour period, according to PRO-6.
Police Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño, PRO-6 regional director, said the voluntary surrender of firearms reflected cooperation between authorities and local communities. He encouraged people who still possess loose firearms to coordinate with the nearest police station and surrender them before they are involved in an incident or crime.
The surrender initiative is part of Project RTT, or Restrict, Track, and Turn-In, which seeks to encourage individuals possessing loose firearms to turn them over to authorities while supporting enforcement operations against illegal possession.
PRO-6 said 2,436 of Western Visayas’ 3,389 barangays, or 71.88 percent, have participated in the program. These communities have contributed to the voluntary surrender of 2,553 loose firearms, according to police.
The regional police office said Project RTT will continue through a combination of voluntary surrender efforts and law enforcement operations targeting people who continue to illegally possess firearms.
Authorities also urged residents to report information involving illegal or unregistered firearms through Unified 911 or the nearest police station.
Police said the campaign is intended to account for loose firearms across Western Visayas and encourage their safe surrender to authorities.
