A BILL seeking to extend the validity of gun licenses for up to 10 years is now up for President Duterte’s signature after it was ratified by both Houses last Wednesday night.
House Bill 10610 and Senate Bill 1155 seeks to fix the validity period of the license to own and possess firearms (LTOPF), its registration validity, and permit to carry firearms outside of residence (PTCFOR) amid the difficulties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and the upcoming 2022 national elections.
The measure, which has a Senate counterpart, seeks to extend the two-year validity of License to Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF) and firearm registration to five or 10 years, depending on the owner’s preference.
It also extends the validity of the Permit to Carry Firearms Outside Residence (PTCFOR) to two years from one year.
The measure also requires the PNP-Firearms and Explosives Office to issue only a single card for both the license and firearm registration.
Under the measure, those who will be exempted from undergoing threat assessment as a requirement of the issuance of PTCFOR are members of the Philippine Bar, certified public accountants, media practitioners, cashiers, bank tellers, priests, rabbis and imams, medical doctors and nurses, engineers, businessmen, elected officials and active members of gun clubs. — With Raymond Africa
