Tougher rules for carrying guns

Saturday, 12 June 2010 19:40
TO keep more guns from being used in crime, Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus A. Verzosa said tougher regulations in the issuance of Permit to Carry Firearms Outside of Residence (PTCFOR) will be implemented by the PNP as part of its gun control program.

Verzosa said he is also mulling the centralization of the neuro-psychiatric and drug tests for PTCFOR applicants to prevent fake examinations and stamp out unscrupulous independent testing centers.

Starting after midnight last Wednesday, all unexpired PTCFORs issued to licensed gunholders became valid anew as the nationwide gun ban ended.

Last January 10, Verzosa suspended all PTCFORs to keep guns off the streets as the PNP stepped up efforts to ensure the holding of an honest, orderly and peaceful election.

The nationwide gun ban officially ended with eight more civilians arrested for violation of the prohibition on the carrying of firearms and other deadly weapons just before the stroke of 12 midnight Wednesday, Philippine National Police spokesman Chief Supt. Leonardo A. Espina announced yesterday..

Espina said seven guns including a high-powered firearm and two bladed weapons were recovered from the gun ban offenders.

He said the arrest of the eight brought to a total of 3,049 the number of gun ban violators arrested since the start of the nationwide prohibition on the carrying of firearms last January 10.

Of the number, 2,777 are civilians while 272 others are government employees including 108 policemen and 70 soldiers.

Recovered from the suspects’ possession were 2,654 guns composed of 989 high-powered and 1,655 low-powered firearms; 826 gun replicas; 694 bladed weapons and 292 grenades and other explosives.

Meanwhile, a pro-gun group called A2S5 said that after attending the 2nd gun summit organized by the PNP last Friday “we conclude that our society today, despite intentions to the contrary is not ready for a total and complete gun ban or gunless society.’

The group said it based its conclusion on the different declarations, statements, statistics and experience shared during the summit as well as the stand of government authorities. Alfred Dalizon