Manila, April 2 -- Police in Negros Oriental province has recovered over 300 loose and illegal firearms during the first quarter of the year, an official said Wednesday.

Lt. Stephen Polinar, spokesperson of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO), told the Philippine News Agency that the firearms were either surrendered, confiscated, or confiscated during different police operations in the province.

Based on NOPPO records, 296 firearms were seized and recovered during various enhanced police operations while 42 were deposited for safekeeping under "Oplan Katok," the Philippine National Police's (PNP) door-to-door campaign against firearms with expired licenses.

Polinar said loose firearms are those that have never been lic...