Region-wide gun ban imposed

The Police Regional Office XI has suspended the Permit to Carry Firearms Outside of Residence (PTCOR 4 or PTC 4) in the entire Davao Region from March 20 to March 31, as an added precautionary measure to the IRONMAN 70.3 Triathlon Race.

This means that non-uniformed individuals with firearms, even with complete permits and licenses, are not allowed to carry their weapons outside of their respective residences.

“Effective March 20, suspended na ang kadtong permit to carry firearms outside of residence. So kadtong mga nanag-iya og mga baril, dili ninyo pwede dalaon sa gawas ang inyong baril bisan pa tuod og naa moy permit (The permit to carry firearms outside of residence is suspended effective March 20. So, for gun owners, you are not allowed to carry your firearms outside even if you have the permit to do so),” Davao City Police Office (DCPO) spokesperson PMaj Catherine Dela Rey said during the AFP-PNP Press Corps media conference at the Royal Mandaya Hotel on Wednesday.

Dela Rey said only police officers, Armed Forces of the Philippines personnel, and members of other law enforcement agencies on duty and in uniform during the 12-day suspension are allowed to carry firearms. This is to avoid any firearm-related incidents during the IRONMAN races.

Random checkpoints have been added outside of the checkpoints in the border areas of the region, Dela Rey added.

Violators to the gun ban will have to go back to their area of origin or they may opt to deposit their weapons to the checkpoint areas where they were apprehended. If unable to follow either action, apprehended individuals may have their PTC 4 suspended.

The DCPO spokesperson added that the suspension is a great help for the region’s security forces as this effectively lessens the threat to look out for.

With this, Dela Rey urged everyone to abide by the ban and help the security cluster in maintaining peace and order during the sports event.

“Tabangan ninyo ang kapulisan– ang Davao City Police Office –na mamahimo nga peaceful, successful, and zero-crime incident ang pagahimuong Alveo IRONMAN 70.3 so magtinabangay kitang tanan (Help the police, the Davao City Police Office—to conduct a peaceful, successful, and zero-crime incident execution of the Alveo IRONMAN 70.3, so let us all work together,” she said. CIO