PNP to hold gun owners’ licensing caravan

MANILA, Philippines -  The Philippine National Police (PNP) will hold a caravan next month to make it easier for gun owners to secure a license to own and possess firearms (LTOPF), an official said yesterday.

PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima said the caravan will allow gun owners in the provinces to file their LTOPF without having to go to Camp Crame.

He also authorized local police offices to issue permits to transport firearms to gun owners for ballistics and stenciling purposes as a requirement in the firearms registration.

Gun owners – even those with existing gun licenses – are required to get an LTOPF first as required under the Republic Act 10591 or the new gun control law. An LTOPF is similar to a driver’s license and has five different types, according to the number of firearms an individual will possess.

Records from the FEO showed that there are 1.7 million registered firearms, with the licenses for 621,000 firearms set to expire in 2014.

The caravan’s schedule is at the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, Visayas Group, Clark Airbase, Pampanga from Sept. 9 to 11; Police Regional Office 11 headquarters at Camp Catitipan, Davao City from Sept. 16 to 18; Quezon City Hall from Sept. 25 to 26; Supreme Court and Court of Appeals from Oct. 1 to 10; and the Association of Firearms and Ammunition Dealers of the Philippines gun show from Nov. 13 to 16.