MANILA, Philippines – The Palace defended the centralization of gun licensing in the country saying the move is intended to clean the firearms registry of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to eventually reduce the proliferation of loose firearms.
It was reported that pro-gun groups have opposed the centralization on the renewal of gun licenses arguing it would only result to more loose firearms.
But in a radio interview Saturday, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the move is necessary as he hopes for public cooperation.
“Paninindigan po ng PNP ‘yan at sa tingin po namin ay makatuwiran ang kanilang ginagawa,” he told dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
“Ito po ay isang mahalagang transitional measure para matiyak ‘yung integrity ng ating firearms registry. At sana ay makiisa din ang mga grupo ng mga mamamayan na sinasabing sila ay responsible gun owners dahil ‘yan din po ang layunin ng kampanyang ito ng ating pambansang kapulisan.”
Coloma said that according to the Philippine National Police (PNP) there is a total 1.7 million firearms in the country.
The PNP studied the records of the Firearms and Explosive Office and the civil security groups and found out that 60 to 70 percent of the records of firearm holders are spurious or fictitious.
