Duterte inks law extending validity of firearms licenses

MANILA – President Rodrigo R. Duterte has signed a law extending the validity of the license to possess firearms and ammunition.

Republic Act (RA) No. 11766, signed by Duterte on May 6, extends the validity of the license to possess firearms and ammunition from two years to five or 10 years, amending RA 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

“All licenses to possess a firearm, regardless of type or classification, shall be renewed every five years or ten years, at the option of the licensee, which shall be reckoned from the birthdate of the said licensee, unless sooner revoked or suspended,” RA 11766 read.

It added, “failure to renew the license on or before the date of its expiration shall cause the revocation of the license and of the registration of the firearm or firearms under said licensee.”

Similarly, the registration of the firearm must be renewed every five or 10 years, at the option of the licensee, which must be reckoned from the birthdate of the said licensee unless sooner revoked or suspended.

Failure to renew the registration of the firearm on or before the date of expiration will cause the revocation of the license of the firearm. The said firearm will be confiscated or forfeited in favor of the government after due process.

“The failure to renew a license or registration within the periods stated above on two occasions shall cause the perpetual disqualification of the holder of the firearms from applying for any firearm license,” the law read.

The application for the renewal of the license or registration may be submitted to the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) of the Philippine National Police within six months before the date of the expiration of such license or registration.

RA 11766 likewise states that the permit to carry firearms outside of residence will be valid for two years from the date of approval of the application, unless sooner revoked or suspended.

The new measure now includes elected incumbent and former officials and active and retired military and law enforcement personnel to be exempted from the requirement of a threat assessment certificate.

Also exempted are members of the Philippine Bar; certified public accountants; accredited media practitioners; cashiers, bank tellers’ priests, ministers, rabbi, imams; physicians and nurses; engineers; businessmen who, by the nature of their business or undertaking, are exposed to high risk of being targets of criminal elements.

Under the law, the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) must formulate the rules and regulations for the effective implementation of the law.

The non-issuance of the implementing rules and regulations must not prevent the implementation of this act upon its effectivity.

RA 11766 is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 1155 and House Bill No. 10610, which was passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on Feb. 2, 2022.