Lawmakers on adjusting penalties: ‘One ammunition can kill’

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MANILA – With the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act pointed as the possible trigger to unscrupulous law enforcement officers for the ‘tanim-bala’ (bullet-planting) extortion scheme, several lawmakers suggested adjusting the penalties on those found carrying one to three bullets.

However, principal authors of the 2013 law, former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and Muntinlupa Representative Rodolfo “Pong” Biazon, were hesitant on only confiscating the ammunition and not imposing penalties on those found with the unauthorized possession of ammunition.

“One bullet found in the pocket of clutch bag of a person who has a past record of being a suspected assassin may be more dangerous than a gun enthusiast and shooter who has a box of reloaded ammunition in his possession,” Lacson said in an Inquirer.net report.

“We should instead look at the bigger picture when we revisit the law involving firearms and ammunition,” he added, noting that exempting criminal liability on the possession of bullets did not guarantee protection from extortion.

Biazon, for his part, supported reexamining the law but asserted that any proposals should be made with precaution.

“In light of the issues in NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport), I agree with having a review of this provision of the law… [However,] ammunition is ammunition, whether one of two. It’s still ammunition. One ammunition can kill,” he said in the same report.