PNP extends validity of gun licenses

MANILA, Philippines - Gun owners whose firearm licenses are still valid this year will have until December 2015 to process and secure their licenses to own and possess firearms (LTOPF), a document similar to a driver’s license, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said yesterday.

PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima approved the extension of the validity of gun licenses for another year as recommended by the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) while the FEO is upgrading its information technology system.

FEO director Chief Superintendent Virgilio Moro Lazo said the FEO is not ready to implement the newly enacted Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Law of 2013.

Under RA 10591, all gun holders must secure an LTOPF before he or she can own or possess firearms.

“We are extending the processing of LTOPF for so many reasons. We (in the FEO) are not prepared and even the firearm holders are not prepared. We have to understand that under the new law, we have to license first the person then register the firearms,” he said.

Lazo said the FEO is also in the process of discussing the rates of the LTOPF, which has five types. Type 1 allows its holder to own and possess a maximum of two registered firearms; Type 2, five guns; Type 3, 10 guns; Type 4, 15 guns; while Type 5 means the holder can own more than 15 guns or is a certified gun collector.

He refused to discuss the alleged P300-million information technology contract the PNP signed with a private company.

Based on FEO records, there are 1.7 million registered firearms and about 621,000 registered firearms are set to expire in 2014.

Gun holders claimed they spend about P8,000 to secure all the requirements for an LTOPF, including a National Statistics Office-issued birth certificate, clearances from PNP Directorate for Intelligence, Regional Trial Court, Metropolitan Trial Court, neuropsychiatric test, drug test, ballistics and biometrics.

The Supreme Court issued a temporary retraining order on three provisions of the new gun control law. The TRO covered the centralization of the application and renewal of the firearm licenses, the signing of the waiver by a gun license applicant that would allow PNP personnel to visit or enter their home and the delivery of gun licenses using a private or a delivery courier or services.

To comply with the TRO, Purisima authorized local police offices to issue permits to transport firearms to LTOPF holders for ballistics and stenciling purposes as a requirement in the registration of firearms.

Lazo said the FEO is targeting to process 2,100 firearms registrations daily over 35 days.