MANILA, Philippines? The Philippine National Police is seeking to confiscate all 19 guns registered to Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. over his alleged connection with the slaughter of 57 people in Maguindanao last week.

The Civil Security Group (CSG) has revoked all gun licenses issued to Ampatuan on orders of PNP Director Gen. Jesus Verzosa, said the CSG director, Chief Supt. Ireno Bacolod, in an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer over the phone Sunday.

Records from the PNP Firearms and Explosives Division showed that Ampatuan, who has a penchant for expensive guns, owned four .45 caliber pistols, two 9 mm pistols, three .40 cal. pistols, two .380 cal. guns, a .357 and 5.77 mm handguns, four shotguns and two high-powered rifles.

Under the standard operating procedure, these firearms were now subject to forfeiture in favor of the government, explained Bacolod.

Government officials have no limit as to the number of guns they could own as long as they were properly registered with the police while ordinary citizens can only hold two guns-- one short and one long firearm, he noted.

His office already sent out yesterday a notice informing Ampatuan of the revocation of his license to hold firearms on grounds of his being tagged as the key suspect in the mass murder in Maguindanao on Nov. 23, said Bacolod.

The victims of the massacre included relatives and supporters of the Ampatuans' rival political clan, the Mangudadatus and some journalists.

Upon receipt of the notice, Ampatuan must surrender his guns to the police within five working days, said Bacolod.

"His possession of these firearms is already illegal as his privilege to own those firearms has been revoked pursuant to existing regulations," he added.

Failure to surrender all 19 guns would prompt the court to issue a warrant, authorizing the police to search Ampatuan's residence and confiscate the weapons, warned the police official.

Under the proposed amendments to the gun control law, illegal possession of three or more unregistered firearms is a non-bailable offense punishable by life imprisonment.

Other suspects, who will be later included in the charge sheet, would also face firearms forfeiture proceedings, Bacolod pointed out.

At least four police officers were still being held under the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group for questioning over their purported role in the mass murder in Maguindanao.

"As to them, we could not yet cancel their gun licenses because no charges have been filed against them yet," said Bacolod.

Two of the police officers, whom the CIDG declined to name, were being considered to become state witnesses against Ampatuan.

In a separate phone interview, CIDG head investigator Senior Supt. Ericson Velasquez said his office was expecting 11 more witnesses to arrive from Maguindanao today.

When asked if they were all policemen, he replied, "Not necessarily... but these witnesses can shed light on what took place before the massacre." The witnesses will be escorted by policemen to ensure their safety, he added.

Earlier, military and police authorities have completed the accounting and the documentation of 429 high-powered rifles issued to four deactivated special companies of armed civilians in Maguindanao.

Verzosa has suspended all gun-carrying privileges issued to civilians in Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City, following testimonies that some 100 armed civilians took part in last week's carnage.

His order was to take away the "climate of fear" and the possible violence that might in the area following the mass murder.