The Philippine National Police (PNP) asserted that it is no longer necessary to seek permission from the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) for its house-to-house visits to the addresses of individuals with expired firearm licenses.
In a report by RH Edniel Parrosa, it was noted that the PNP's statement came after COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Garcia suggested that "Oplan Katok" might be deemed illegal for lacking the required approval from the poll body.
According to PRO-3 Regional Director and Concurrent Spokesperson PBGen. Jean Fajardo, "Oplan Katok" is a regular police initiative aimed at eliminating loose firearms that could potentially be used during elections.
The PNP reportedly started implementing the said initiative even before the election period began on January 12.
According to the latest report from Camp Crame, more than 600,000 notices have been sent by the Firearms and Explosives Office by the end of 2024.
Of the total number, 347,860 licenses were revoked due to the owners' failure to renew them, along with 10,676 firearms that were surrendered to the authorities.
Meanwhile, Fajardo clarified that the PNP is prepared to coordinate with the COMELEC to address concerns regarding potential privacy violations linked to the "Oplan Katok" initiative.
