By JEFFREY G. DAMICOG
July 30, 2009, 7:24pm

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday asked lawmakers to make the charge of illegal gun possession a non-bailable offense.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno, who also chairs the National Police Commission (Napolcom), said that he has requested “Congress to impose a stricter penalty for illegal possession of firearms.”

“We are asking that the charge on illegal possession of firearms be made non-bailable,” the secretary said.

He cited that under Republic Act 8294, the unlawful possession, manufacture, sale, acquisition, or disposition of firearms or ammunition is a bailable offense and those found guilty gets a maximum jail term of six years and a penalty not less than P15,000.

Meanwhile, Puno reminded owners of unlicensed firearms to avail of the gun amnesty period for the entire month of October.

The secretary warned that all guns not properly registered would be confiscated immediately and criminal charges would be filed against the owners in court.

Despite this, the DILG chief assured gun owners that the Philippine National Police (PNP) will accept the registrations of their unlicensed firearms and those with expired licenses during the amnesty period with “no questions asked.”

Puno said the PNP will begin processing the applications of late registrants, or those with unrenewed licenses in implementing President Arroyo’s National Gun Control Program, as spelled out under Executive Order 817.

“We have compiled a list--complete with the addresses of these late registrants -- and we will give them this gun amnesty period to update the registration of their firearms,” Puno said.

Puno said that to make it convenient for gun owners to register their unlicensed firearms, the PNP will set up registration stations in the different towns and cities nationwide.

Even before the amnesty period starts, Puno said the PNP will start receiving applications starting August 1 to accommodate those who would like to comply early with the law.

EO 817, which provides for a general amnesty for the registration of loose firearms, has tasked the PNP to conduct active police operations against unregistered firearms through random weapons checks in crime-prone areas; mobile checkpoint and chokepoint operations; intelligence build-up; internal security operations; application of search warrants; and dismantling of private armed groups.

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Ha, paano naman yun mga private armies ng mga landed gentry and politicos? Unfair naman ata itong request.

What they should do is instead of extending the terms of stupid officials that are better off beheaded ay include nila the right to bear arms sa constitution so that the people will no longer be subject to the whims of the moneyed and powerful who also happens to wield authority by the barrel of the gun lang. Just take a look at the arsenal sa Malacanang. Those would be better off used by our men in the field than protecting worthless and cheating officials.

Before 1998, the crime of illegal possesion of firearms was a non-bailable offense. Many an NPA commander was jailed for this crime. However, that imbecile Sen. Ramon Revilla changed the law in 1998 primarily to benefit that equally moronic actor Robin Padilla who was then at Bilibid.