PNP to brief Comelec on Oplan Katok, gun licensing drive

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it would meet with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday, February 4 to discuss the nature, extent and limitations of its 'Oplan Katok'.

Under Oplan Katok, police personnel conduct house visitations to advise gun owners with expired licenses to apply for renewal and encourage them to surrender unlicensed firearms for safekeeping.

Brigadier General Jean Fajardo, PNP spokesperson, assured at a press briefing that the initiative is a regular function of the police body aimed at advising gun owners with expired licenses and encouraging them to surrender their firearms.

From January 1 to December 31, 2024, the PNP issued over 620,000 notices to gun owners with expired licenses, resulting in around 17,000 renewed licenses and 11,000 firearms turned over for safekeeping.

PNP Chief PGen. Rommel Francisco Marbil assured that Oplan Katok is part of the regular functions of the police body and not intended to cause any undue influence during the election period.