PNP allows civilians to own semi-automatic rifles

Civilians will now be allowed to own semi-automatic rifles, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said on Monday.

Fajardo said the police organization made some minor amendments to the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

“Sa ngayon po, ‘yung mga private citizens na nagmamay-ari ng riple, particularly ‘yung 7.62 pababa at ‘yung kanilang mga baril po ay mayroon pong classification po ng semi-automatic, ay puwede na pong palisensyahan ng sibilyan,” she said in a press briefing.

(Right now, private citizens can now have licenses for their rifles, especially the 7.62 mm below and those guns that are semi-automatic.)

“Yun po ‘yung particular provisions po na pupuwede na pong magmay-ari po ang sinuman pong sibilyan ng 7.62, ‘yun po ‘yung M14 pababa basta po ‘yung baril na iyun ay hindi automatic,” she added.

(Any civilian can now own a 7.62, that’s the M14 below, as long as the gun is not automatic.)

The PNP earlier created a technical working group to amend some of the provisions of the IRR of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

Fajardo said the amendment has been forwarded to the UP Law Center for publication. It will be effective 15 days after publication, she added.—AOL, GMA Integrated News