Military Ordinariate of the Philippines Bishop Oscar Jaime Florencio on Saturday said he does not support the decision of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to allow civilians to own semi-automatic rifles.
“Personally, I would not want to have our civilians be allowed to possess semi-automatic rifles or any rifles for that matter,” he said in an interview over Church-run Radyo Veritas.
“We are a poor country. Why will we need those guns? Give them to authorities. If civilians are allowed to have guns, it might cause another big problem,” Florencio added.
The military ordinariate cited as an example the US where mass shootings frequently happen.
“In America, why do they have such a problem? Because they have a very lax law, wherein anyone can own a gun without that responsibility over a deadly weapon,” he said.
The PNP has amended the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, to allow civilians to register cal. 7.62mm semi-automatic rifles and guns with lower calibers.
In a press briefing last week, Senator Francis Tolentino said authorities “should choose the right people who can possess and carry this kind of gun.”
Senators Imee Marcos and Risa Hontiveros, meanwhile warned against a rise in criminality, arms smuggling, and violence, especially in the 2025 midterm elections.
Former senator Leila M. de Lima meanwhile said the PNP should “rethink its decision” on the issue.
De Lima said “semi-automatic rifles are not called assault rifles for no reason.”
They are meant for offensive purposes, not defensive. They are a means to attack, not to protect. Imagine the mayhem in the streets this new policy will bring,” De Lima said.
The former senator and lawyer further said even the PNP will not be ready for it if private citizens engage them not with handguns, but with assault rifles.
“To picture what one private citizen can do with one assault rifle, just remember Jason Ivler and how it took a sizable heavily-armed NBI team to arrest him. Is the PNP ready for another Jason Ivler, or dozens of them?” De Lima said.
