Tighter gun law pressed
Manila Bulletin – Thursday, September 9
Manila, Philippines – Alarmed by firearms-related crimes, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV filed a bill that aims to have a tighter gun control and stiffer penalties for unlawful possession and acquisition of firearms particularly by public officials whether in civilian or in military, police or law enforcement service. In Senate Bill No. 13, or to be known as the Gun Control Act of 2010, Senator Trillanes asked Congress to pass his proposal to deter crimes related to loose firearms more effectively and ensure a more peaceful and orderly country.
Trillanes wanted ”maximum penalty for violations committed by public officials… considering that they are supposedly mandated by their office to preserve peace and order in the society.” The Senator said he was prompted to file the bill after the World Health Organization and the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crimes reported that the Philippines ranked 10th in terms of the number of gun homicide worldwide. Based on the records from the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Division, there were an estimated 1,110,372 loose firearms in the country in 2008. He lamented that majority of the crimes committed during the period involved loose firearms. ”It is in this light that this bill seeks to regulate unlawful possession, manufacture, dealing in and acquisition or disposition of firearms, ammunition and instruments used in the manufacture of firearms and ammunition,” Senator Trillanes said in his explanatory note.
How ironic, this coming from a public official who is currently incarcerated for committing the very acts he supposedly wishes to prevent. Good thing for him there was no such law in effect when he took arms against the government and incited rebellion. For a former soldier, his views are quite naive. Well, I guess that is to be expected from a soldier who has never served in the front lines.
Trillianes is not exactly a Great Strategist (nor a aspiring student of any), as the oakwood mutiny’s poor timing and failure proved. So is the consideration and the shortsightedness of this bill. In the economy of action, given the powers of a senator It is not effective to Just keep adding more and more convoluted and confusing laws. What is a law when there is too poor resources to enforce and expedite it? Instead, as a senator and a Academy trained Officer, focus should be making the judicial and enforcement agencies more efficient in punishing and apprehending offenders. Threats are pointless when there is no moral will or ability to carry them out.
More Redundant Laws just means more resources and time sorting and trying to follow them. These ADD to the cost of attaining Justice. More complex rules just makes Justice only more exclusive to those already powerful enough to afford it.
Reportedly has no combat experience at all. Now he is pontificating on how SWAT teams should be managed. If this strategist wannabee would be rated by his 2003 Oakwood caper, then the country is in more trouble.
At Oakwood, he and his 300-plus coupals retreated to the luxury rooms when “surrounded” by less than 100 Marines with their armor, sent by Marine Commandant Major General Emmanuel Teodosio. Perhaps his reputation for “unleasing the dogs of war” during the 2000 Maguindanao war preceded him. If the general had his way, the hotel would have been bombarded down to the ground.
Reinforcements from other AFP units came in much later in the day, to complete the encirclement.