PNP Firearms and Explosives Office Chief removed after 2 months

MANILA, Philippines – Roughly 2 months after his appointment to the office responsible for issuing licenses for firearms, Senior Superintendent Dennis Siervo has been relieved from his post.

The relief orders were issued Thursday, May 7, Rappler learned from sources privy to the movement.

Siervo, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1985, was formally appointed to the post of Firearms and Explosive Office (FEO) officer-in-charge in late March, replacing Chief Superintendent Moro Lazo, who was appointed director of the PNP Special Action Force. Continue Reading

PNP Holds Consultation Dialogue Forum on Improving Firearms Licensing Process

Last 6 April 2015, the Philippine National Police (PNP), led by its Civil Service Group held a public discussion forum at the PNP general headquarters at Camp Crame, Quezon City. The forum led by PNP-CSG Commander Gen. Melito Mabilin and Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) Col. Dennis Siervo, was for the "streamlining" of the licensing process for firearms. As stated in the forum, the "marching orders" given to the CSG and FEO were to "make life easier for licensed firearms owners". WIth this in mind, the streamling process for obtaining a License to Own and Possess Firearms or LTOP has been made easier as follows:

1. Court and Prosecutor's clearance shall no longer be required. Instead, the spplicant shall obtain an NBI Clearance. This is because the NBI record is nationwide and more encompassing than the court clearance which is just for a specific city or municipality where the applicant lives.

2. Drug and Neuro Psych testing shall be expanded to include more government and private testing centers (not just PNP accredited) 

3. Number of copies of Forms shall be only two: one for the PNP and one for the applicant.

4. The time to process the LTOP from filing to approval shall take only 40 minutes. This is due to the computer system that forwards the application from initial evaluation directly to the Chief for approval and signature electronically.

5. Firearms safety seminar shall be expanded to include not just gun clubs but also individual qualified firearms instructors who may administer the seminar. Continue Reading

PROGUN honors the fallen SAF 44

The deaths of the 44 PNP SAF troopers in a raid in Maguindanao last 26 January 2015 has left an entire nation in grief and mourning as well as a lot of questions unanswered. The apparent mission of the operation was for the SAF troopers to go into Barangay Mamasapano Maguindanao, the lair of the Islamic secessionist groups MILF and BIFF, and kill terrorists Zulkifli Bin Hir alias Marwan and Filipino bomb-maker Abdul Basit Usman who were hiding there. This, the largest number of casualties in a single PNP operation, has brought forth many questions the answers of which are sorely demanded by the familes of the victims and the public in general. At this point the technicalities or the "how" of the operation is not so important as the "why": why were there highly trained troops sent in to the heart of enemy territory without back up or reinforcements and no coordination with other higher officials such as DILG Sec. Mar Roxas and PNP OIC Leonardo Espina, or the Army? Why was the operation entrusted to suspended Chief PNP Alan Purisima? Why were there US personnel involved and present during the operation? Was it the reward money involved? Continue Reading

PROGUN: Please do not fire your guns on New Year’s Eve.

Please do not fire your guns on New Year's Eve.

Although the number of firearms related injuries (with practically no deaths) has dramatically increased these past years due to proper education and discipline among gun owners, there are still a few isolated incidents of stray bullets hitting innocent people. Remember: when you fire your gun upwards, the bullet comes back down at the same speed. Thus even if you do not intend to shoot or aim at someone, a stray bullet can still injure or kill another person a kilometer away. No amount of good intentions or sorry can bring back a human life, once lost. So please let us be responsible this New Year's Eve. Let us fire our guns on any other day of the year, safely, responsibly, and in the proper manner and place.Stay Safe,PROGUN. Continue Reading

PROGUN Christmas Party at the Supreme Court: Filing of Petition against LTOP and IRR

PROGUN Christmas street party which is the filing of our second petition to annul the LTOP and IRR will be on Monday 22 December 2014 Padre Faura Manila in front of the Supreme Court gate. No food, no drinks, No karaoke, just shouting and cursing angry words LOL! Meet 10am at Robinson's Manila Padre Faura entrance. Park at Mall car park. Hope to see you all there!

It is pathetic that in our democratic society we have to go to the Supreme Court to ensure that our basic rights are not trampled upon. What should come as a matter of course in any free and constitutional society, is hard fought in the Philippines. But this the price we have to pay for freedom. Vigilance is not a mere byword to be forgotten after the hard earned freedom we won in the 1986 EDSA Revolution. Patriotism is not a long lost term relegated to the heroes of the Philippine revolutionary war of 1896. In every generation new people are called up once again to stand up and slay the dragons of oppression and tyranny. Freedom is paid for by the blood and sacrifies of martyrs and heroes. It is our time. It is our fight. It is our responsibility.
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Phase 3

Our fight against the oppressive firearms law and rules has now entered into a new phase. Phase 1 was the intial battle in the Supreme Court wherein PROGUN made a show of force and secured a temporary restraining order against the Philippine National Police ("PNP")and the implementation of anti-gun policies. Phase 2 just recently was concluded with the change in leadership within the PNP. Now, we are in Phase 3: which is a second petition in the Supreme Court for annulment of the License to Own and Possess Firearms ("LTOP") and the Implementing Rules and regulations of the oppressive firearms law RA 10591. Phase 4 is a long term fight in Congress and Senate to Amend RA 10591, which would have to wait till after 2016 when there is a change in this current anti-gun presidency and the political landscape.

PROGUN is challenging the LTOP requirement insofar as it is being applied retroactively by the PNP. Being a criminal law, RA 10591 should have only prospective application otherwise it runs afoul with Article 3 sec. 22 of the Constitution which prohibits Ex Post Facto. Simply stated, licensed gun owners who are already in possession of their firearms cannot be compelled to re-apply and re-qualify for a wholly new and more stringent firearms license, since their licenses were already legal and approved before. The same applies to licenses to deal, manufacture, and importation of firearms by entities licensed to engage in such activities.
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Ombudsman suspends PNP chief Purisima over Firearms courier contract

MANILA, Philippines–Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales has ordered the preventive suspension of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima and several others for entering into an allegedly anomalous courier service contract with WERFAST Documentary Agency (WERFAST) in 2011.

Aside from Purisima, ordered suspended were Police Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta, Senior Superintendent Allan Parreno, Sr. Supt. Eduardo Acierto, Sr. Supt. Melchor Reyes, Supt. Lenbell Fabia, P/C Insp. Sonia Calixto, Chief Inspector Nelson Bautista, Chief Insp. Ricardo Zapata and Senior Insp. Ford Tuazon.

Police Director Gil Meneses, former Chief of the Civil Security Group (CSG) and Chief Superintendent Napoleon Estilles were included in the complaint but were not mentioned in the suspension order because they have already retired.

The preventive suspension will be for six months, according Ombudsman Spokesman Asryman Rafanan at a press conference. Continue Reading

Who is to Blame for the Woes of Chief PNP Gen. Purisima?

Yesterday in his opening statement before the Senate Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs, The Chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Gen. Alan Purisima, who is under investigation on charges of corruption and ill-gotten wealth, said that the charges against him are a "demolition job" or slander and character assassination (Trans: paninira) by disgruntled firearms fixers, syndicates, and dealers who would want the firearms licensing system to go back to "business as usual." Gen. Purisima also stated that the present system of stricter gun control rules, is to weed out corruption within the ranks of his own PNP personnel, who he claims have long been selling gun licenses to unqualified individuals based on fraudulent records, and record keeping.However, in the same Senate hearing, Sen. Grace Poe and Sen. Serge Osmena also discussed and questioned Gen. Purisima on allegations of his ill gotten wealth, such as his 4 hectare 3.5 million mansion and ranch in Nueva Ecjia, his multi-million poultry farm, P3.9 million Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, and his P3.2 million Toyota Alphard luxury van, plus the P11.2 "donation" made to him via private contractors to renovate his living quarters termed as PNP White House.Who is to blame for the Gen. Purisima's woes? Himself. Continue Reading

Detroit police chief says legal gun ownership deters crime

According to the article, Detroit Police Chief James Craig credits armed citizens for the drop in crime:
  • Detroit has experienced 37 percent fewer robberies than it did last year
  • 22 percent fewer break-ins of businesses and homes
  • 30 percent fewer carjackings in 2014 than during the same period last year
The Washington Times: Detroit police chief: ‘No question in my mind’ legal gun ownership deters crime Continue Reading

Can Anyone comply with LTOP and Registration? Why the LTOP is Unconstitutional

As of 23 June 2014 the Philippine National Police has unceremoniously begun requiring all licensed gun owners to "migrate" to the "new system" under recent law RA 10591. Under this new system all existing licensed firearms owners who were previously approved are once again required to re-qualify and submit all over again all new requirements for "license to own and possess" a firearm ("LTOP"). The lengthy requirements such as neuro-psych testing, drug test, intelligence clearance, NBI and court clearance, gun safety seminar, among others, are required to be accomplished by personal appearance at Camp Crame, Quezon City. Due to the closure of PNP regional satellite offices, no license applications, processing, or approvals, may be done in the Provinces, thus requiring a 7 day trip to Metro Manila for 1.7 million licensed gun owners from all over the country. The PNP facilities at Camp Crame Quezon City are limited to a SINGLE hospital. Neuro and psych exams take at least 3 hours, for which assuming a 24 hour basis only 8 applciants could be processed per day.  Continue Reading
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