Napolcom mulls insurance policy for gun owners

MANILA, Philippines - The National Police Commission (Napolcom) is considering requiring a compulsory third party liability policy upon registration of firearms, an official said yesterday.

Vice chairman Eduardo Escueta said this plan was discussed during the recent 2nd National Gun Control Consultative Summit.

In his three years working as a Napolcom commissioner, Escueta said he has encountered several cases wherein victims of accidental firing from police operations have no direct recovery for indemnification or nowhere to go for relief.

He cited the Parañaque shootout that claimed the lives of 16 persons, including a seven-year-old girl and her father.

“We should come up with a policy that will ensure a compulsory compensation for innocent victims of accidental discharge of firearms if we really are serious to promote a genuine advocacy of responsible gun ownership,” Escueta said.

The 2nd National Gun Control Summit served as a venue for discussions on opinions of people supporting and opposing possible implementation of gun ban even after the election period.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa said the summit is a follow-through activity to the National Summit on Firearms Control to address the growing concern over the proliferation of loose firearms particularly guns used in criminal activities.

Verzosa said the consultative summit aims to assess and review the implementation of component activities on legislative agenda, accounting and inventory of all firearms, general firearms amnesty, intensified police and law enforcement operations, election gun ban and election-related incidents, advocacy for responsible gun ownership, and other firearms-related concerns.