ILOILO CITY, Philippines — A sweeping 24-hour campaign against undocumented firearms across Western Visayas resulted in 16 loose firearms and three explosive devices being taken out of circulation, while four people were arrested as police intensified a regional crackdown on weapons that could potentially be used in violent crimes.
The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) recorded the haul during 17 operations conducted across Western Visayas from 6 a.m. on August 25 until 5:59 a.m. on August 26, 2026, under its Project RTT, or Restrict, Track and Turn-in, campaign.
Of the 16 firearms accounted for, 11 were voluntarily surrendered by residents, while five were confiscated during police operations.
Those confiscations led to the arrest of four individuals who are facing allegations involving illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, according to police.
Authorities also recovered or confiscated three explosive devices during the same period. Two were accounted for by the Iloilo Police Provincial Office, while the Capiz Police Provincial Office recovered another.
Why the 11 surrendered guns matter
While the arrests are the most immediate law-enforcement result, the number of firearms voluntarily turned over highlights another major part of PRO-6’s strategy: persuading people to surrender undocumented weapons before police intervention becomes necessary.
Project RTT combines intelligence-driven police operations, enforcement of warrants, verification of information from residents, firearm-registration checks and community engagement.
PRO-6 regional director Brig. Gen. Randulf T. Tuaño has repeatedly credited cooperation from residents, barangay officials and local governments with helping authorities locate and remove loose firearms from communities.
The latest operation was not an isolated crackdown.
From May 15 through July 31, 2026, authorities recorded 858 loose firearms voluntarily surrendered across Western Visayas under Project RTT, according to the Philippine News Agency.
Iloilo province accounted for the largest share, with 410 firearms, followed by Antique with 129, Aklan with 97 and Capiz with 95. Iloilo City recorded 59, the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 6 accounted for 57, and Guimaras recorded 11.
Another 64 firearms surfaced days earlier
Just days before the August 25-26 operation, police reported another major one-day haul.
From August 22 to August 23, PRO-6 conducted 68 operations and accounted for 64 loose firearms and six explosive devices.
Of those 64 firearms, 62 were voluntarily surrendered and two were confiscated. Two individuals were arrested during that separate operation, according to Inquirer and other local reports.
The repeated recoveries show that the campaign is operating through two parallel approaches: enforcement against people allegedly possessing firearms illegally and voluntary surrender intended to remove weapons from circulation without waiting for them to surface during criminal investigations.
What exactly is a “loose firearm”?
Under Republic Act No. 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, the term is broader than simply an unregistered gun.
Philippine law defines a loose firearm as including an unregistered firearm, a firearm whose identifying information has been altered or obliterated, a lost or stolen weapon, an illegally manufactured firearm, a registered firearm possessed by somebody other than its licensed owner, or one covered by a revoked license.
The law also imposes penalties for unlawful possession and provides additional consequences when a loose firearm is used in connection with another crime.
That distinction matters because police accounting of “loose firearms” can include weapons reaching authorities through different circumstances—not only guns seized from criminal suspects.
Campaign continues after latest blitz
The crackdown did not end with the August 25-26 operations.
In another PRO-6 accomplishment report covering August 27 to August 28, authorities said 15 more loose firearms and one explosive device were voluntarily surrendered. During the same 24-hour period, the regional police reported no incidents among its monitored focus crimes and arrested 27 wanted persons.
Police officials have said they intend to continue intelligence-driven tracking of loose firearms, enforcement of warrants, audits involving expired firearm registrations, validation of information from communities and coordination with barangay and local government officials.
The campaign also aligns with the Philippine National Police’s broader nationwide drive against loose firearms under PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr., who has called for intensified enforcement against illegal weapons.
For Western Visayas, the emerging pattern is increasingly clear: police are not relying solely on raids and arrests.
A growing portion of the weapons being removed from circulation are being handed over voluntarily.
And with hundreds of firearms already surrendered in recent months—and fresh weapons continuing to surface almost daily—the bigger question is how many undocumented guns remain in communities across the region.
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