ILOILO — Residents across Iloilo Province have voluntarily surrendered 1,762 loose firearms since the start of August, as police intensify efforts to remove unlicensed and undocumented guns from communities across Western Visayas.
The firearms were turned over from Aug. 1 to Sept. 22, 2026, under the Police Regional Office 6’s Restrict, Track and Turn-In, or RTT 3389, campaign. All 1,721 barangays in Iloilo Province participated in the initiative, giving the province a 100 percent barangay participation rate.
Of the firearms surrendered, 1,185 were classified as short firearms while 577 were long firearms. The campaign is aimed at encouraging people who possess loose firearms to voluntarily turn them over to authorities.
Police Regional Office 6 Director Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño credited the participation of local governments, barangay officials, police personnel, community groups and residents for the results. Authorities said the campaign is intended to reduce the number of firearms that could potentially be used in criminal activities.
The Iloilo figures form part of a wider regional campaign covering all 3,389 barangays in Western Visayas. As of Sept. 22, 3,193 barangays, or 94.22 percent of the region’s total, had participated, with 3,378 loose firearms voluntarily surrendered across the region.
Guimaras was the other province to achieve 100 percent barangay participation, with all 98 barangays recording surrendered firearms and a total of 101 guns turned over. Aklan had a 95.72 percent participation rate, while Capiz recorded 90.91 percent.
Iloilo City recorded participation from 160 of its 180 barangays, equivalent to 88.89 percent. Antique had 471 of 590 barangays participating, or 79.83 percent. Overall, 196 barangays in Western Visayas had yet to record a surrendered firearm under the campaign as of Sept. 22.
The latest figures represent a sharp expansion of the campaign in recent weeks. On Sept. 17, police reported that 277 firearms had been voluntarily surrendered across Western Visayas in a single 24-hour period, alongside two confiscated firearms and one recovered explosive device.
Authorities have urged individuals who still possess loose firearms to coordinate with their nearest police station and surrender the weapons. Police are continuing to combine voluntary turn-ins with enforcement operations against illegal possession.
The campaign also has a verification component. Previously reported PRO 6 procedures indicated that surrendered firearms undergo documentation and ballistic examination, including checks to determine whether they may have been used in crimes.
With thousands of firearms already removed from communities across Western Visayas, the next challenge for authorities is completing participation in the remaining barangays while determining the status and possible history of the surrendered weapons.
