The Philippine National Police will build a rewards program for people who can pin down the existence of loose firearms after the end of the gun amnesty period on October 31, Interior and Local government Secretary
Ronnie Puno related yesterday.
Puno said that once these loose or illegal guns are commandeered, the PNP might opt to give them to the local police station in the barangay or city where these were seized.
'There will be a rewards program for anybody after October 31,' Puno announced. 'Anyone who can point at the PNP the existence of illegal firearms will receive a reward for it.'
Puno made a call on the public to cooperate with the govt. In its fresh campaign to against loose firearms, which he revealed, will make a contribution to the state's peace and order issues.
The DILG chief earlier warned holders of illegal firearms that after the one-month gun amnesty period expires on Oct. 31, all guns not correctly registered would be commandeered right away and legal charges would be filed against the owners in court.
The PNP, he told, has assembled a listing of late registrants-complete with their addresses-who will be given the possibility in the gun amnesty period from Oct. One to 31 to update the registration of their firearms.
prior to this Oct. 1-31 amnesty period, the PNP will start accepting applications beginning Aug. One to accommodate those who want to comply early with the law.
To make it handy for gun owners to register their unlicensed firearms, the PNP will set up registration stations in the different cities and cities across the nation, Puno announced.
The DILG and PNP are asking Congress to pass a law making illegal gun possession a non-bailable offense as part of the governing body's new drive to reduce, if not fully eliminate, a projected 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 ( six years ) and a fine of not less than P15,000 is imposed on any person pronounced guilty of the illegal possession, make, sale, purchase, or disposition of firearms or ammunition which makes the crime a bailable offense.
EO 817, which gives for a general amnesty for the registration of loose firearms, jobs the PNP to conduct active police operations against unregistered firearms through random weapons checks in crime-prone areas ; mobile checkpoint and chokepoint operations ; intelligence increase ; internal security operations ; application of search warrants ; and dismantling of private armed groups.
the ruling body is expecting to reduce by at least three percent a month the projected 1.1 million loose firearms now in the hands of threat groups, criminal elements and unauthorised 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 laws ( IRR ) of EO 817,
In various Regional Peace and Order Council ( RPOC ) conferences and dialogues with local managers,'>
Ronnie Puno has called on elective officers to help the DILG and PNP carry out an information campaign on the gun amnesty program.
