PROGUN has learned that the proposed fees in the IRR draft of the PNP for R.A. 10591 are P1600 for registration per gun for every four years. This is in addition to the license fee that must be paid by the gun owner whether Type 1 to 5, ranging from P1000 to P10,000 per gun owner. We strongly oppose such proposed fees as being excessive and exhorbitant. If such fees were to be implemented, then gun licensing costs would be practically the same as under the old law, which is what the new law RA 10591 was intended to address and reform. We also note that the registration fee for airguns and airsoft guns is only P500, hence why should registration of firearms be higher when registration of a gun of whatever nature involves the very same act of entering the information in the database?
The law RA 10591 likewise specifically provides that the licensing fees must be reasonable.
The splitting of licensing and registration under RA 10591, and the adoption of the Type 1 to 5 individual licensing was intended precisely to make licensing costs LOWER and more affordable for gun owners. However, by increasing the registration fees up to P1600 per gun, coupled with the payment of a separate license fee of Type to 5, the costs have practically returned to the level that it was under the old law PD 1866, as amended.
Two things need to be considered: (1) why is it necessary to charge an exhorbitant cost of P1600 for a simple act of registration?, and (2) Why should registration of airguns and airsoft guns be only P500 whereas the registration fee for firearms is P1600, when the same act is involved of entering the data into the computer database?
We appeal therefore to the PNP and President NoyNoy Aquino to take a second hard look at these proposed fees which are exccessive and beyond the reach of many licensed gun owners. The passage of the new law RA 10591 and its resultant IRR ought to be a golden opportunity to revise and revamp the old system of fees to encourage more gun owners to comply with the law and come into the fold. Instead, increasing the fees to excessive amounts, not only adds an unnecessary burden upon the licensed gun owners who are already being excessively taxed and regulated, but it would also have the effect of rendering the gun owners as unable to comply with such expensive costs, thus increasing the number of loose firearms in the country.
If news from the grapevine is true and that is indeed the proposed fees, I do agree that it is quite exhorbitant. Aside from the licensing and registration fees, they should also factor in the amount spent in securing all the necessary requiremets and undergoing the mandatory tests. On top of that, other miscellaneous expenses such as gas, toll, and parking fees should also be taken into considerartion. If you sum up all these items, then the cost is rather significant for the average gun owner. The new law is a golden opportunity to streamline things, to make the entire process easier and convenient. What the PNP is doing right now is clearly a step backwards, not only does it complicate the entire process, it actually makes legitimate gun ownership too burdensome. It is unfortunate that the current PNP leadership seems to be apathetic to the plight of legitimate gun onwers, sad to say, their main focus appears to be revenue generation more than anything else. They even refuse to take into consideration the terrible inconvenience imposed on the part of fellow gun owners residing in the province and other far flung areas; these people simply cannot be expected to go to Camp Crame in Manila to personally apply or renew their firearm licenses and PTCFOR’s, that is just too arduous a task. They have to show some form of consideration or emphaty toward these people. The way things are going, instead of helping curtail the proliferation of loose firearms and encouraging all law abiding (NOT TO MENTION TAX PAYING) citizens to come into the fold, they seem to be pushing helpless citizens into disobeying the law and forcing them to own unregistered firearms. The PNP top brass, specially the Chief PNP, should find a way to temper the greed.
I guess the BIG QUESTION is: Why are the fees so high and what was the basis for the figure? I would udnerstand if the fees were increased to defray the costs of registration. But then, the cost of registration of a similar unit of airgun and airsoft gun is only P500. So why should it be more expensive to register a firearm when the PNP will be performing the same act of entering the info in a computer? And how come entering info into a computer costs P1600? Unless the computer encoder has golden or diamond-studded fingers, perhaps?
The PNP must justify their concocted formula in arriving to these exorbitant fees. They should be envistigated by the senate or congress for going beyond their bounds by breaking the protocls of a responsible agency. The comission on audit should look into these matter sice it is pregnant with illigitimacy.
When buying bullets under the IRR of the new gun law an ordinary licensee can purchase only 50 pieces with a transport fee of 60 pesos so that every purchase of a bullet or bullets up to 50 pieces is 60 pesos an additional for every few pieces of purchase. Is the simple permit form and signature of the PNP employee justify that amount being charged? It is so prohibitive and confiscatory it is 30% additional tax to a purchase of a box of 22 rimfire bullets. There are so many complaints on the VAT but here comes the PNP transport permit of bullets adding more than necessary. So if I purchase a box of .22 for 175 pesos add 60 pesos and the total amount I will pay is 235 pesos. For every 50 pcs of Bullets of whatever caliber the PNP get a cut of 60 pesos!
there is a new version of the IRR…
a ridiculous provision have been again added…
for those with PTCFOR…
you can carry but magazine should not be inserted and separated from the gun…
what idiot in the PNP inserted this?
With prohibitive fees and voluminous requirements of the IRR is defeating the spirit of the Law. Taking opportunity to milk citizens with these fees in the IRR is unacceptable. The gun law is not promulgated as a business enterprise but it is service oriented, Consequently if you are not a FEElipino You are a PAYlipino……