The political scene in the country has always been bloody and violent – and yet authorities want more and higher caliber guns around.
This is after the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced that minor amendments were made to Republic Act No. 10591 allowing civilians to own, possess, and register semi-automatic rifles.
“Sa ngayon po, 'yung mga private citizens na nagmamay-ari ng riple, particularly 'yung 7.62 pababa at 'yung kanilang mga baril po ay mayroon pong classification po ng semi-automatic, ay pwede na pong palisensyahan ng sibilyan,” PNP spokesperson P/Col. Jean Fajardo said in a press briefing last Monday, March 4.
Does the PNP not realize that private armed groups and “traditional politicians” will surely take advantage of this especially with the 2025 midterm elections fast approaching?
Who will benefit now that the PNP has allowed citizens to own semi-automatic rifles?
Gun culture
From FPJ to Coco Martin, the Philippines had always embraced a gun-wielding culture, believing it cool and ‘siga’ to have a gun tucked into your pants giving you perpetual protection from criminals and bullies like our famous action heroes.
Back in 2000, former President Joseph Estrada, another former action star, allowed civilians to own as many guns of any type as they wanted.
It was only in 2013 when President Benigno Aquino III signed RA 10591, which regulated gun ownership.
But oftentimes, it’s the Jonel Nuezca Filipinos imitate and not the protagonists.
Nuezca is the trending cop of 2020 for mercilessly shooting mother and son Sonya and Frank Anthony Gregorio, both unarmed, in front of her young proud daughter of a policeman.
The conflict stemmed from a long-standing right-of-way dispute which met its end when the two were shot following an argument about using an improvised firecracker.
Just how many gun-owning neighbors do we know that act similarly to Nuezca?
Sketchy data
Though data on gun control in the country is scarce, it is reported that illegally possessing a gun in the Philippines is easy.
In addition, civilians wanting to own guns can always pay a fixer to take care of the process for them.
And though mass shootings are extremely rare, intentional homicide in the country is highest in Southeast Asia recording 4,764 in 2019 but reached 11,155 in 2016, the year Rodrigo Duterte assumed the presidency according to data from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
In 2009, Andal Ampatuan Jr. was running against Esmael Mangudadatu as governor of Maguindanao.
It was then that one of the largest killings in the country took place called the Maguindanao Massacre where 58 people, including journalists on their way to file the candidacy of Mangudadatu were kidnapped and later killed by Ampatuan’s men.
A Human Rights Watch report noted that most members of the Ampatuan’s private army were members of Civilian Volunteer Organizations and Citizen Armed Force Geographical Units.
More recently in 2023, Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo was killed inside his residence when around ten men carrying heavy firearms trespassed and opened fired at the compound.
Nine people died including Degamo while 16 more were injured.
The alleged mastermind, then Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. is still in hiding while investigations also revealed that three of the suspects were disgraced AFP servicemen.
In 2022, a month before his term ended, Duterte passed Republic Act No. 11766 which amended RA 10591 and allowed the extended validity of firearms to 5-10 years and registration renewal after 10 years.
This benefited Duterte, known for his love of guns when he registered 358 firearms, all with 10-year validities and legal backing just two weeks before his term ended, Rappler reported.
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