Remulla seeks 20-year jail term, no bail for loose firearms
MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla is pushing for up to 20 years in prison and no bail for illegal possession of loose firearms.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) bared Remulla's proposal in a statement Tuesday, August 25, saying preventing firearms from reaching unauthorized individuals would require both stronger laws and greater responsibility from legal gun owners.
"Preventing firearms from falling into unauthorized hands requires both stronger laws against loose firearms and greater responsibility from legitimate gun owners in securing their weapons," DILG said.
Remulla proposed the tougher penalty in an interview with ANC on Monday, August 24.
'Semi-legal' loose firearms
Remulla had earlier called on Congress to make illegal possession of loose firearms non-bailable, arguing that lighter penalties have contributed to gun-related crimes.
In the interview, he claimed that about 98% of gun crimes in the country involve loose firearms, which he said had effectively been made "semi-legal" by Republic Act 8294.
The 1997 law reduced penalties for illegal possession of firearms and made some offenses bailable. It became informally associated with Sen. Robin Padilla, who benefited from its reduction of penalties.
"Now, when you catch someone with loose firearms, which 98% of crimes are committed with, it is bailable. You have a record, but it is bailable," Remulla said in Filipino. "I am asking Congress to take steps to make it non-bailable, and to make it 20 years."
Policies for personnel with issued firearms
Remulla also argued that policies governing personnel issued government firearms should be reviewed, alongside measures requiring legal gun owners to secure their weapons.
"In both cases where the gun violence occurred with the children in conflict with the law, they were legal firearms accessible to the children belonging to uniformed personnel," Remulla said. "We have 800,000 uniformed personnel... 800,000 firearms are issued."
Initial investigations into the Zamboanga incident found that the minor shooter used firearms belonging to his father, a Bureau of Customs employee. One was government-issued, while the other was a personally licensed firearm.
The minor allegedly gained access to the firearms after his father left them inside a vehicle.
In a separate incident in Tacloban City in June, one of the minor shooters allegedly used the government-issued firearm of his police officer aunt.
Tacloban prosecutors on Tuesday recommended the filing of complaints for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and physical injuries against the aunt.
The father of the Zamboanga shooter, meanwhile, was earlier relieved from his post.
"So we have to go over all our policies with the uniformed personnel and let them realize the gravity of the situation that is happening," Remulla said.
- Latest
- Trending
