FILE PHOTO: PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines — Since 2019, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has taken a hard stance on gun control, revoking 240 firearms licenses and “by sanitizing the roster of licensed firearm holders and registered firearms.”
PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. on Monday said that over the past four years, 684 firearms registered under 240 revoked licenses have been seized, citing reasons such as:
- involvement of gun owners in violation of laws like illegal drugs
- commission or pendency of a crime involving firearms and ammunition
- prolonged non-renewal of firearms licenses
- illegal or unlawful transfer of firearms
- violation of election and special events gun ban
- misrepresentation or submission of spurious supporting documents
“These invalidated licenses include 41 licenses revoked in 2022. Subsequently, a total of 201 firearms registered to these 41 revoked licenses were confiscated,” the PNP chief explained in a news briefing.
Col. Kenneth Lucas, who leads the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office, said two holders were stripped of their licenses to own and possess firearms last year, which led to confiscation of 17 firearms.
According to Azurin, the PNP is bolstering its efforts to cancel the licenses of firearm holders involved in criminal activities, particularly those related to illicit drugs. — Niña Cuasay, trainee
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