Duterte to ban over-the-counter sale of bullets, ammunition

DAVAO CITY (PNA) – President Duterte will seek a revision of the firearms law in the Philippines to regulate strictly the sale of bullets, ammunition and firearms to ensure these do not end up in the hands of the enemies.

“I will no longer allow ‘yung mga tindahan (those stores) to sell bullets over the counter that cannot be done. Hindi tayo matatapos nito (We will not finish this [rebellion]). We’re just supplying ammunition to the enemy,” the President said during the 25th Association of Firearms and Ammunition Dealers of the Philippines (AFAD) Defense and Sporting Arms Show at the SMX Convention Center here Friday evening.

Referring to the New People’s Army (NPA), President Duterte said the armed group of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the National Democratic Front (NDF) can afford to buy bullets and ammunition because they are earning money from extortion or the revolutionary tax.

“Most of the plantation owners and the miners are really paying, ‘yan ang totoo talaga (that’s really the truth),” he said.

“They have the money. So we have to control. Kung may magpabili ka ng armas, make sure kung sino (If there are those who purchase ammunition, make sure who they are).”

It was recalled that in 2013, then President Benigno Aquino III signed Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation, which recognizes the rights of qualified citizens to self-defense through the use of firearms under certain circumstances.

President Duterte said he wants stricter measures and that he would give incoming Interior Secretary Eduardo Año the guidance on the sale of ammunition and firearms to ensure that no firearm would ever land in the hands of an enemy of the state.

According to the President, 20 rounds of ammunition should be enough for a whole day of firing.

The AFAD, the governing body of gun sellers in the Philippines, held its national gun show outside of Metro Manila for the first time. The four-day Defense and Sporting Arms Show officially opened Friday and runs until May 22, with the participation of 40 gun sellers.

The President underscored the need to revise some of the rules, “not to make it hard for you to make money but to protect first and foremost the Republic of the Philippines.”

“We can do business but let us make sure that it does not fall into the hands of the enemies. Because it could then make it doubly hard for us, instead of investing on the life of one soldier in a fight, if you give them the firepower and the firearms. I would need about five soldiers to suppress one enemy. Mahirap ‘yan (That’s difficult),” he said.

He asked dealers to encourage their clients to register their firearms legally and rightfully as it would be difficult for them to buy bullets.

“Because, we know very well that some of those ammunition that are purchased are in the hands of the NPAs. As one way of controlling and even ‘yung high-powered, hindi na talaga dapat ipagbili ‘yan (those highpowered [firearms] should no longer be sold). No more,” President Duterte stressed.

He said even security guards of plantations and mining companies in the mountains can be issued only with shotguns.

“May problema tayo, eh (You see we have a problem). We are facing a rebellion and it’s a threat that is really very, very clear,” he said.

The President said the mining companies and banana plantations do hire security guards. “I sympathize with you guys, so let us try to sort out something here,” he added.