PNP 12 gets new firearms

The Police Regional Office (PRO)-12 received 201 new firearms from the Philippine National Police (PNP) central office. (PNA photo)

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Aug. 9 — The Police Regional Office (PRO)-12 received 201 new firearms from the Philippine National Police (PNP) central office.

Chief Supt. Cedrick Train, regional police director, said the new firearms were part of the PNP’s efforts to improve the capabilities and operations of police units within the region’s four provinces and five cites.

He said the firearms, which were composed of 200 units of NORINCO 6.56mm M16 rifles and a unit of DRAGUNOV 7.62 mm sniper rifle, arrived on Tuesday at the regional headquarters in Barangay Tambler here.

“We immediately distributed them to the recipient units based on instructions from our national headquarters,” he said in a PRO-12 statement released on Tuesday afternoon.

The police official said the 200 M16 rifles were turned over to the area’s Provincial and City Public Safety Companies (P/CPSCs) and the lone sniper rifle to the Regional Public Safety Battalion-12.

The Sarangani PPSC and the General Santos CPSC received 40 units each, followed by South Cotabato PPSC with 29 units, Cotabato PPSC with 26 units, and Sultan Kudarat PPSC with 25 units.

Also distributed were three reloader machines for the Kidapawan City police station, Tacurong City police station and Koronadal City police station.

Train said the released firearms have complete accessories and supplied with standard ammunition.

They specifically included 72,000 rounds of M16 ammunition, 400 pieces M16 magazines, and 440 rounds of sniper rifle ammunition three pieces of bullet magazines, he said.

Train said PNP Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa ordered his office to distribute the firearms “without any delay.”

Such move is aimed to address the lack of basic police equipment that are needed to fight criminalities by some police units.

“He (Dela Rosa) instructed us to make sure that the firearms will reach the actual recipients,” he said.

The official said the release of the new firearms is a major boost to their security operations in the region.

Also known as Soccsksargen, Region 12 comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and North Cotabato, and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.

He said that the firearms would increase the efficiency of their personnel in the performance of their duties, especially in law enforcement operations.

“This will be a big help in terms of the capability buildup of the PRO-12 and in enhancing security measures,” he added.