No more drug test, psycho exam for cops, troops buying own guns

FILE PHOTO: Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil. INQUIRER / NINO JESUS ORBETA

Active members of the police and the military will now be exempted from taking drug tests (DT) as well as psychological and psychiatric examinations (PPE) as a requirement for securing a license for firearms that they want to purchase in addition to those issued by the government, the Philippine National Police said on Thursday.

The order was contained in a memorandum signed by PNP chief Police Gen. Rommel Marbil on July 16.

“All active military and police personnel are no longer required to undergo DT and PPE since they are already trained as responsible firearm holders,” Marbil said in the memo.

“The DT and PPE conducted during their service will suffice as LTOPF (license to own and possess firearms) requirements,” he added.

The PNP chief said the military and the police would only be required to submit their valid PNP or AFP ID to support their gun license applications.

NBI, PDEA not covered

Lt. Col. Eudisan Gultiano, the spokesperson for the PNP Civil Security Group, said the exemption applies to police and military personnel acquiring firearms on top of those issued by the government.

Based on the latest record, Gultiano said the PNP had about 11,000 expired gun permits while the Armed Forces of the Philippines has about 14,000.

The PNP chief’s memo does not cover other law enforcement agencies and uniformed services, such as the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Philippine Coast Guard, she added.

“I think there will be another deliberation on this because when it comes to the PNP and AFP, it is easy for us to monitor our personnel,” she said.

Too busy 24/7

Explaining the exemption, Gultiano said PNP and AFP personnel no longer needed to take new tests since they had already been trained on “responsible gun ownership” and that there are “enough measures” to discipline abusive or erring users.

She said Marbil’s memo would also hasten the license applications and renewals.

READ: Cops, soldiers exempted from drug, mental test rules to get gun licenses 

“It’s really a big help to our active PNP personnel because sometimes they really do not have time because of [24-hour] duty, 24/7 duty,” she added.

“This is a big help because the procedure has been shortened. There is no reason for them not to renew because we have lessened the requirements.”