PNP to Come Up with Rewards System as Part of Crackdown VS Loose Firearms Puno

August 20, 2009

The Philippine National Police (PNP) will establish a rewards program for persons who can pinpoint the existence of loose firearms after the end of the gun amnesty period on October 31, Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronnie Puno said yesterday.

Puno said that once these loose or unlicensed guns are confiscated, the PNP might opt to donate them to the local police station in the barangay or town where these were seized.

“There will be a rewards program for anybody after October 31,” Puno said. “Anyone who can point to the PNP the existence of unlicensed firearms will get a reward for it.”

Puno called on the public to cooperate with the government in its fresh campaign to against loose firearms, which he said, will contribute to the country’s peace and order problems. 

The DILG chief earlier warned holders of unlicensed firearms that after the one-month gun amnesty period expires on Oct. 31, all guns not properly registered would be confiscated immediately and criminal charges would be filed against the owners in court.
 
The PNP, he said, has compiled a list of late registrants—complete with their addresses—who will be given the chance during the gun amnesty period from Oct. 1 to 31 to update the registration of their firearms.

Prior to this Oct. 1-31 amnesty period, the PNP will already start accepting applications starting Aug. 1 to accommodate those who would like to comply early with the law.

To make it convenient for gun owners to register their unlicensed firearms, the PNP will set up registration stations in the different towns and cities nationwide, Puno said.

The DILG and PNP are asking Congress to pass a law making illegal gun possession a non-bailable offense as part of the government’s new drive to reduce, if not totally eliminate, an estimated 1.1 million loose firearms in the country.
 
Under Republic No. 8294, which amended President Decree 1866, the penalty of prision correccional in its maximum period (6 years) and a fine of not less than P15,000 is imposed on any person found guilty of the unlawful possession, manufacture, sale, acquisition, or disposition of firearms or ammunition which makes the crime a bailable offense.
 
EO 817, which provides for a general amnesty for the registration of loose firearms,  tasks the PNP to conduct active police operations against unregistered firearms through random weapons checks in crime-prone areas; mobile checkpoint and chokepoint operations; intelligence build-up; internal security operations; application of search warrants; and dismantling of private armed groups.

The government expects to reduce by at least 3% per month the estimated 1.1 million loose firearms currently in the hands of threat groups, criminal elements and unauthorized individuals. Such number of loose firearms also includes guns with expired licenses.
 
The PNP is targeting to account for some 33,000 loose firearms within the first month of implementation of EO 817.

Puno along with  PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa and heads of other law enforcement agencies signed last July 23 the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of EO 817.

In various Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) meetings and dialogues with local executives, Puno has called on elective officials to help the DILG and PNP carry out an information campaign on the gun amnesty program.