Tacloban shooting prompts DILG's Remulla to push for gun owners' liability

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Thursday he will recommend changes to the country’s firearms laws to impose criminal liability on gun owners whose licensed firearms are used by others to commit crimes, following the deadly school shooting in Tacloban City.

Remulla said current laws leave a gap in accountability even when a licensed firearm ends up in the hands of another person and is used in a crime.

“Sa nangyari dito, wala kaming ma-charge dahil bitin ang batas (In this case, we could not file charges because the law is insufficient),” Remulla said at a press briefing in Camp Crame.

“Kailangan may criminal liability yung mga taong ito (These people should have criminal liability),” he added.

The DILG chief said firearm owners should bear greater responsibility for keeping their weapons secured.

“Dapat ito ay naka-safe, dapat ito ay under lock and key, at dapat 100% of the time, ang responsible ay yung gun owner (Firearms should be kept in a safe, under lock and key, and the gun owner should be responsible for them 100% of the time),” he said.

Revisions

Remulla said he will recommend to Congress revisions to existing firearm regulations, including provisions that would penalize owners if their firearms are illegally accessed or transferred.

“I recommend to Congress that they rewrite the IRR of gun ownership and the responsibility of owning firearms, and to put the criminal aspect into the illegal use or illegal transfer of their guns.," he noted.

The proposal came after investigators found that the firearms used in Monday’s shooting at San Jose National High School belonged to adults. One was reportedly a service firearm issued to a police officer, while the other was a revolver registered to a security agency where one suspect’s grandfather had worked.

According to Remulla, the owner of a government-issued firearm may face administrative sanctions or malversation, but existing laws do not specifically impose criminal liability simply because another person used the weapon to commit murder.

“Walang concomitant responsibility ang gun owner kung gamitin ng iba ang baril nila para pumatay ng tao (There is no corresponding responsibility for gun owners if someone else uses their firearm to kill another person),” he said.

Calls for broader reforms

Remulla also urged Congress to revisit the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, saying authorities have observed instances in which minors believe they cannot be held criminally liable because of their age.

“Again, ito ang infirmity ng Juvenile Justice Act (Again, this is a weakness in the Juvenile Justice Act),” he said.

However, Remulla said any amendments should focus not only on age but also on whether a child understood the consequences of the act.

“I think age is not important, but cognizance and intent are the most important factors,” he said.

The DILG chief likewise called for a permanent ban on the violent video game GoreBox, saying it could desensitize young people to violence.

“I believe also that games espousing violence like GoreBox should be permanently banned from the Philippines. I believe that it desensitizes young people into the elements of death, elements of violence, and elements of murder,” he said.

Public urged to report threats

Remulla also disclosed that authorities had prevented another alleged school attack in Leyte after Senator Bam Aquino alerted him Wednesday night about an online threat targeting Tolosa National High School.

He said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group immediately investigated the report and found that a 14-year-old student had allegedly posted online threats but had no access to firearms. Authorities later determined that no organized attack was underway.

Following the incident, Remulla urged the public to immediately report any online threats or suspicious conversations involving possible school violence.

“Any threat is considered live until it is neutralized.”

“Kung may makita po kayo na kahit anong threat or imminent threat… please call 911 and inform right away.” (If you see any threat or imminent threat, please call 911 and report it immediately.)

He added that early reporting and swift police response could help prevent a repeat of the Tacloban tragedy. — RSJ, GMA News