Due to the increasing number of anti-gun measures being issued, it may be high time for us to form legal defense teams to file law suits and question these unlawful issuances in court. I have been reading carefully all these recent anti-gun measures – a lot of which are outrightly illegal and unconstitutional – and I feel that the public is being shortchanged and our fundamental rights are being trampled upon by the powers that be.
Legal action must also complement our political lobbying. Lobbying and media exposure can only take us so far, if people in power refuse to listen to our pleas or if they are downright dictatatorial and do not care about the will of the people. “KAPAL MUKHA” is the term that can describe our policy makers on firearms, and it would seem that they would stop at nothing to enforce their personal and foreign-supported anti-gun policies.
There are a lot of lawyers in the Interim Bar of the Philippines (IBP) who shoot. It’s just a matter of tapping these resources, plus asking for the support and donations of the public in terms of payment of court filing fees, xerox and transportation costs, messengerial expenses, and a small stipend for the lawyer who will be handling the case. Since the gun dealers would not like to help us, then maybe the gun clubs all over this country can help. We also have our upcoming armed citizens seminar to raise funds.
Legal actions are already a powerful tool being used in the U.S. by pro-gun groups such as NRA, Calguns, 2nd Amendment Foundation, etc. They are not giving an inch to the government when any anti-gun measure is passed; they immediately sue and question it in court. We should evolve and now do the same. It is high time.
Your thoughts please. Gob Bless you all and God Bless the Phlippines.
Too bad I am not a lawyer. I could have volunteered. Why not call for volunteers from among like-minded people? In last night’s edition of of the news, ABS-CBN showed a clip of 40 judges and prosecutors being given a crash course by Judge Jimmy Santiago, the famous former SWAT Officer. It showed that in the recent years, 17 judges were killed by gunmen who were never caught. Three were killed right at their homes, while the other 14 during travel by motorcycle-riding gunmen riding in tandem. ALL JUDGES WERE KILLED WHILE UNARMED, DEFENSELESS. Now, who was that impractical idiot who said that “guns should be left at home”?
It is also high time that fight back, by organizing a strong lobby. Let us invite our members, friends from PinoyGuns, AFAD, FAMAP, A2S5 to put their money where their mouth is, other wise they stand to lose their freedom and their expensive toys.
Don’t expect any help from AFAD. AFAD has never, and apparently never will, extend any assistance to the gun lobby, especially PROGUN.
That’s why I suggested that we turn to the gun clubs instead for cooperation on this matter, so it will be a truly nationwide effort. I understand that there are gun clubs in every corner of the Philippines, which we just need to tap.
I believe the name of the “impractical idiot” you were referring to is John Remollo “Petals” Petalcorin.
It should have been in the plural sense. It covers: that old, self-righteous politico who had an unsuccessful bid for VP, that publicity-hungry has-been politico from CDO, that bishop who sired two children, a supporter of the gunless society, but carries two M16s at the trunk of his car, twop paid hacks from PDI who called themselves columnists and of course “Petals”.
The Group will also include non-lawyers. The lawyers can only do the legal work, but there is a lot more work to be done, like publicity, fund raising, education and speaking, lobbying, internet warriors, bloggers, media and reporters, art work, etc. So everyone is needed to pitch in and help.
count me in sir!!!
i will support 100%
A lot of us are eager to do our part. Let us know when and how.
We just got some calls. There will be a private meeting between PROGUN, some lawyers, and two major gun dealers tomorrow to discuss the problem of gun free zones.
Will keep everyone posted.
Quotes i would like to share:
Don’t think of it as `gun control’, think of it as `victim disarmament’. If we make enough laws, we can all be criminals.
The possession of arms by the people is the ultimate warrant that government governs only with the consent of the governed.
— Jeff Snyder
According to the National Crime Survey administered by the Bureau of the Census and the National Institute of Justice, it was found that only 12 percent of those who use a gun to resist assault are injured, as are 17 percent of those who use a gun to resist robbery. These percentages are 27 and 25 percent, respectively, if they passively comply with the felon’s demands. Three times as many were injured if they used other means of resistance.
— G. Kleck, “Policy Lessons from Recent Gun Control Research,” Law and Contemporary Problems 49, no. 1. (Winter 1986.): 35-62.
“Boys who own legal firearms have much lower rates of delinquency and drug use and are even slightly less delinquent than nonowners of guns.”
— U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, NCJ-143454, “Urban Delinquency and Substance Abuse,” August 1995.
We just finished the meeting. It was decided that law suit shall be filed in Gen San City questioning the Gun Free Zone. A Local lawyer shall be the one to file it.
count me in guys !
The only way I can help is through funds.
Inform us where we can donate.