The 85 firearms recovered by the San Juan City Police through Oplan Katok include the following: 9 rifles, 9 shotguns, 19 revolvers and 48 pistols. October 22, 2020. Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News/FILE

MANILA -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it would meet with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to discuss the nature, extent and limitations of its “Oplan Katok.”

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

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia earlier said the PNP should halt the implementation of the Oplan Katok, warning that the program could be used to intimidate voters and candidates during the election period.

But PNP Chief PGen. Rommel Francisco Marbil said the Oplan Katok is part of the “regular functions” of the police.

“I’ll discuss it with the Chairman kasi normal na police duty natin ang Oplan Katok. Continuous po iyan. Ang purpose po niyan is really to account the firearms. ‘Yan ang cause ng violence,” Marbil told reporters in a chance interview at Camp Crame.

PNP assures Comelec 'Oplan Katok' not intended to 'harass, intimidate anyone'

“Ang kinakatok lang po namin ang unregistered firearms. Ang kinakatok namin ang may mga baril na hindi registered kasi kung hindi maregister, you have to get ang baril na yun,” he added.

Marbil said that the program was implemented in previous elections.

“It’s not prohibited by the elections kasi trabaho talaga ng pulis namin na i-locate ang firearms at i-account ang firearms,” he said. “Tuluy-tuloy po iyan. Hindi pinagbabawal ‘yan kasi normal police duty po iyan.”

PNP spokesperson PBGen. Jean Fajardo said the PNP would sit down with the Comelec to discuss the matter on Tuesday, February 4.

Nation Comelec shoots down 'Oplan Katok' during election season

“Every Tuesday kasi merong committee hearing ang Committee on Security and Ban on Firearms chaired by Commissioner Ferolino. I was informed earlier ni General Nick Salvador na kasama sa discussions sa Tuesday ang issue ng Oplan Katok,” Fajardo said.

The PNP has issued over 620,000 notices to gun owners with expired firearms licenses in 2024.

 So far, around 17,000 have renewed their gun licenses. In addition, 11,000 firearms have been turned over to the police for safekeeping. 

As of January 16, 391,938 gun registrations have been revoked.