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Posted on November 6, 2009 by Pete Cameron | Posted under News and Society
Gun Amnesty Program Extended by GMA
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The extended cut-off point was caused by the request of some firearm owners for more time to process their applications, particularly those in badly hit areas. the issue of the EO followed Interior Secretary and National Police Commission Chairman Ronnie Puno's formal request to Mrs. Arroyo for the extension of the gun amnesty program. 3 successive storms -- tropical hurricane Ondoy ( world name : Ketsana ) and storms Pepeng ( Parma ) and Santi ( Mirinae ) -- have caused deaths and damage in Luzon in over a month since Sept. 26, with continuous monsoon rains still inundating wide areas of the island to date. 'The continual processing of the applications for the Final General Firearms Amnesty was negatively influenced by contemporary tropical storms Ondoy and Pepeng which hit Luzon,' the EO read. 'Due to the pressing public clamor to extend the Final General Firearms Amnesty which was supported by the advice of the National Firearms Control Program Executive board, there's a need to give further time for holders of loose firearms to register their firearms under this amnesty program.' The EO in addition has looked to synchronize the amnesty program to the impending passage of House Bill 6776 or the change to Firearms law which would impose stiffer penalties against illegal possession of firearms and ammo. The bill, principally authored by Nueva Ecija Rep. Rodolfo W. Antonino ( fourth district ) and tries to modify Presidential Decree 1866, has been authorized on third and final reading. Its opposite number, Senate Bill 3375 wrote by detained Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV, is outstanding at the board on public order and illegal drugs. Congress, now on break since Oct. 17, will resume sessions on Nov. Nine. Target exceeded meanwhile, the Philippine National Police ( PNP ) exceeded its three percent monthly target to reduce loose firearms on Oct. 1 to 31 under the EO. It has accounted 61,130 ( 5.5% ) of the 1,110,277 loose firearms nationwide, almost double the 33,308 target, information got by BusinessWorld from the Firearms and Explosives Division ( FED ) of the PNP Civil Security Group show. info show that from July 1 to Oct. 31, the first timeframe of the program, the PNP has accounted 180,600 loose firearms. The 61,130 guns were grouped into expired licenses, 51,145 ; unregistered, 6,857 ; held by criminal elements, 2,874 ; and from threat groups, 254. EO 817 tasked the PNP to'reduce the quantity of loose firearms by an average of 3% a month thru assertive continuing law enforcement actions.' It also tried to'reduce the possibility of loose firearms being used in election-related crimes that may derail the realisation of a peaceful, orderly and convincing electoral exercise in May 2010.' 'As of our last accounting, we have documented some two hundred thousand firearms issued to different units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and 157,962 firearms in the inventory of the PNP,' PNP chief Director-General Jesus A. Verzosa said in a press release last Wed.. he claimed they have also accounted firearms in the control of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, 1,864 ; National Bureau of enquiry, 1,140 ; Department of transport and Communications, 50 ; Land transport Office, 328 ; Bureau of Immigration, 204 ; Philippine Coast Guard, 4,058 ; Philippine Ports Authority, 576 ; and Bureau of Customs, 444. The National Firearms Control Program Secretariat has 3,526 firearms in different courts nationwide, he added . 'We are now fast-tracking compliance of all local regime units ( LGU ) to the provisions of EO 817 to account for government-owned firearms especially those provided to the local civil security units, provincial jail guards and other LGU entities.' 'Only bonafide members of the [military], [police] and other law enforcement agencies in proper uniform will be allowed to hold firearms in the election period,' Mr. Verzosa declared in light of a likely gun ban that would be imposed by the Commission on Elections in the election period that starts on Jan. 10. Election day is on May 10. Other engaging articles : Ronnie Puno Orders Deployment of Rubber Boats Strategy to Boost Your SEO Ronnie Puno Cites NAPOLCOM in Professionalizing PNP Regina High School to close after this school year oes tsetnoc . About The Author: Pete Cameron is a journalist that writes in a column for Philippine news. |
Tags: GUN AMNESTY, GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO, RONNIE PUNO
