The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 in Central Visayas has declared its year-long campaign against illegal weapons a major success, significantly enhancing public safety across the region. Their operations throughout 2025 resulted in the confiscation of a massive haul of unlicensed firearms, explosives, and ammunition, directly addressing a key source of criminal activity.
Oplan Katok: A Key to Voluntary Surrender
A cornerstone of this achievement was the Oplan Katok program. Under this initiative, police officers personally visited the homes of gun holders whose licenses had lapsed. The officers encouraged these individuals to voluntarily surrender their firearms to the nearest police station. This community-focused approach proved highly effective, accounting for 774 of the total 3,241 illegal firearms recovered from January 1 to December 31, 2025.
The Massive 2025 Haul: Guns, Explosives, and Ammo
The total inventory of confiscated items paints a clear picture of the operation's scale and impact. Beyond the thousands of firearms, authorities also secured 93 explosive devices and a staggering 5,900 rounds of ammunition of various calibers. PRO-7 officials emphasized that removing these dangerous items from circulation is a crucial step in eliminating threats to community security, as they can no longer be used by criminal elements.
Leadership and the Peace and Order Formula
This successful campaign was conducted under the leadership of Police Brigadier General Redrico Maranan, the chief of PRO-7. General Maranan implemented his focused "peace and order formula," which prioritized the crackdown on criminal gangs and the decisive removal of weapons from their hands. The strategy's effectiveness is demonstrated by the tangible results achieved over the past year, making Central Visayas communities safer.
The PRO-7's comprehensive effort demonstrates a sustained commitment to law enforcement and proactive crime prevention, setting a benchmark for regional police operations in the Philippines.
