Lacson files bill listing 8 groups of professionals who may use firearms

MANILA, Philippines – Even priests, bank tellers, nurses, accredited media practitioners and businessmen whose lives are in danger will be allowed to carry firearms outside of residence once a proposed legislation on this in the Senate is passed into law.

Senator Panfilo Lacson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Senate Bill 2933, which seeks a comprehensive law on firearms, light weapons and ammunitions filed by Senator Panfilo Lacson, listed at least eight professions and occupations that should be given permit by authorities to carry firearms outside of residence.

They include members of the Philippine Bar; Certified Public Accountants; accredited media practitioners; cashiers and bank tellers;  priests, ministers, Rabbi,  imams; physicians and nurses; engineers, and businesspersons.

But a permit to  carry firearms  outside  of  residence should only be  issued  by the chief of the Philippine National Police “to  any  qualified  person  whose  life  is  under actual threat or their lives are in  imminent danger due to the nature of their profession,  occupation or business.”

“It  shall  be  the  burden  of  the  applicant to  prove  that  his  life  is  under actual  threat  by  submitting a threat assessment certificate from the PNP,”  said the bill.

The bill provides a  penalty  of  “prision  correccional”  and  a  fine  of  P10,000 against  any  person  who would carry  a registered  firearm outside of residence without any legal authority.

To acquire and own a firearm or  firearms and ammunition, the bill  also provides that the applicant must be a Filipino citizen,  at 21 years  old,  has a  police  clearance  and  gainful  work, occupation or business or has filed  an income tax return  for the preceding year as proof of  income,  profession,  business or occupation.

The applicant should also submit the following  certification to show that he has not  been  convicted  of  any  crime  involving  moral turpitude; he has passed  the  psychiatric and drug  tests and a gun  safety seminar ; has filed  in  writing the application to  possess a registered firearm and that he has no pending  criminal  case in courts for a crime that is punishable with  a penalty of  more than two years.

In filing the bill, Lacson noted the growing number of privately-owned  firearms  in the country and the increasing “perception”  that  the  Philippine  National Police “is failing in its mandate of securing the citizenry.”

“The same is true when it comes to the  number of  loose firearms  and  number of firearms  whose licenses were never renewed by their owners,” he said in his explanatory note.

Lacson also saw the urgent need to pass the bill as he foresees more gun-related violence with the upcoming 2013 elections.

“With the 2013 elections just around the corner where gun related violence is expected to escalate, there is no doubt that there is an urgency to pass this bill into law,” he further said.