Escudero wants amendments to Firearms and Ammunition Act

SENATE President Francis Escudero yesterday urged his colleagues to introduce amendments to the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act to make gun ownership in the country easier.

Escudero said gun ownership involves a tedious process that burdens law-abiding citizens from legally possessing firearms.

He said the law is strict on the transfer of ownership of a firearm whose owner has already died.

“Patungkol sa mga licensed gun owners na namatay o pumanaw na, hanggang nire-require ninyo na may LTOPF ‘yung magbebenta or magta-transfer ng baril, wala na po kayong mahuhukay na valid LTOPF sa isang namatay (You keep on requiring those who want to transfer ownership or sell their guns to another person to have a valid LTOPF [License to Own and Possess Firearms], but those who own guns that have already died cannot produce them [LTOPF] anymore),” Escudero said in his speech during the opening of the 30th Defense and Sporting Arms Show at the SMX Center in Pasay City.

He said another burden is that those who have lost interest in owning guns but have no LTOPFs and want to transfer ownership of the firearm are required to acquire the LTOPF, hence he or she will undergo the process of securing the gun ownership license.

“Bago niya ma-transfer o mabenta ang baril niya, kailangan niyang dumaan ulit sa proseso at kumuha ng LTOPF. Eh ayaw na nga niya eh (Before he can transfer ownership or sell the gun, he needs to undergo the process of getting an LTOPF. Why does he have to undergo the process when he no longer wants to own a gun?),” he added.

He said these are only some of the “realities on the ground” that the police and lawmakers should look into so the government can encourage more people to own firearms.

“Gusto mo na ngang legal na maipasa ‘yung lisensiya at baril, eh papahirapan ka pa (People want to legalize gun ownership but they are apparently being given a hard time),” he added.

He said the police need not worry that firearms would cause the proliferation of crimes, stressing no person in his right mind would have his gun licensed just to commit a crime.

“Dahil kung may gagawin kang masama o may masama kang balak, hindi ka na magpapa-lisensiya.