Group urges Palace to certify gun control bills
Group urges Palace to certify gun control bills
By Alcuin Papa
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 08:40:00 02/12/2011
Filed Under: Legislation, Benigno Aquino III, comelec, RP peace process
MANILA, Philippines—Civic and religious groups led by three former senators and bishops are urging the President to certify as urgent a gun control bill to stem the rising incidence of crimes in the streets.
In a signed statement, the group calling itself Mga Tagatulak ng Kapayapaan (Peace Movers) called on President Aquino to consolidate two gun control bills pending in the House of Representatives and the Senate into one measure and certify it as urgent. The group sent a letter through Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma.
The group is referring to the Citizen Protection Act of 2010 filed in the House of Representatives and Senate Bill 129 to regulate the carrying of firearms.
Comelec-style ban
Both bills have something in common: To make the Comelec (Commission on Elections) gun ban in public permanent during election and off-election periods. Anti-gun advocates and even the Philippine National Police (PNP) have pointed out that Comelec gun bans enforced by the police during elections have brought down crime.
“As a crime prevention measure, the consolidated bill will make the harmless act of carrying a gun by unauthorized persons in public places a criminal offense before such harmless act turns into a violent crime,” the group said.
They also said that the possession in public places of firearms and deadly weapons “should be authorized only for those directly and primarily engaged in police, military, or security services who are in uniform and on duty, and even then only to enforce the law under strict and clearly defined guidelines.”
Signatories
The group argued that the consolidated gun control bill “will not in any way impair the privilege of responsible and qualified citizens to keep licensed firearms at home for protection or sport.”
Leading the signatories of the letter are former Senators Ramon Magsaysay, Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and Wigberto Tañada.
Members of the religious who signed the statement Archbishop of Manila Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal and Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines president Nero Odchimar. Other signatories were Reynaldo “Nandy” Pacheco, founder of the Gunless Society, and Manolo Dayrit, chair of the Ang Kapatiran Party.
There are at least one million licensed firearms in the country with around half in the National Capital Region. During the campaign period for the 2010 national elections, the PNP arrested some 3000 people for violating the gun ban.
taken from http://frankahan.com/blog/?p=945
Comments
They should call the bill
They should call the bill criminal predatory act of 2010. Do these people really believe that if you disarm law abiding citizens and deny them the right to defend themselves that crime will actually go down? It's simple logic, removing guns from the hands of good people will do nothing to stop bad people from committing devious acts; in fact, I believe it will encourage them to become bolder. I cannot, for the life me, figure out why they don't get this, it's simple common sense.
What about the survivors of the victims of crime?
The problem with these bishops and sheltered politicians is that they feel so safe in their ivory towers, and behind the guns of their numerous bodyguards. Maganda etong si Drilon pull out lahat ng armed bodyguards niya and let him roam the streets like the rest of us. Or how about assigning those bishops to some remote towns in Basilan or Jolo, and have their heads chopped off by muslim fanatics or terrorists. The perspective of people is really determined by their station in life. Apparently, since these people who are pushing for this gun control bill live sheltered lives, protected 24/7by their high walls and security detail, they think that all is well with the rest of the world.
NAIVE is the word to describe these people.
If you do however live in the real world, in the midst of all the crime and threats of violence, you will have another perspective. How I wish that these people's wives are raped and killed or themselves victimized by violent crime and let's see if they sing the same tune. It is notable that a lot of the survivors of violent crimes and heirs of those who were killed by criminals, are ardent supporters of gun rights. Why? because these victims have seen and experienced first hand that we live in a dangerous world and that the only way of stopping criminals is through the gun.
The Philippines is certainly not Utopia.
Thus measures such as gun control are UNREALISTIC in the Philippines, as well as most third world countries. Gun control will only create more helpless victims of violent crime, and embolden the criminals to commit more acts of violence against an already defenseless population. We have inefficient and corrupt law enforcement who are incapable of dealing with the crime wave in the Philippines. Our justice system is broken and does not deter criminals; criminals get away thru early release and pardon, or their cases are poorly prosecuted. As we have said before and we say again: GET TOUGHER ON CRIME NOT GUN CONTROL.
WE CALL UPON "MR. GUNLESS" SEN. FRANKAHAN DRILON TO VOLUNTARILY REMOVE ALL HIS SECURITY DETAIL AND BODYGUARDS, AND THE BISHOPS TO MOVE TO BASILAN, MAGUINDANAO, LANAO, OR JOLO AS PARISH PRIESTS.
If they do that, we will join hands with them.
For the clergymen who support a gunless society....
1. Disarm the security guards guarding churches and their offices. Perhaps the CBCP office should start this by setting an example.
2. Remove the armed security detail of some bishops and even the cardinals.
3. Convince the Pope to disband his mercenary Swiss Guards. Do you believe they are just there for show with their orange and red uniforms and halberds?
Let them take the same risk as Every Juan in the streets who use public transpo.
SUPPORT TO GOOGIE'S POST
Agreed.
To add to your list bro.
Until the Pope himself stops riding behind a bullet proof pope mobile swarmed by private guards and starts using his so called faith in the God that he promotes,supports and represents, when that day comes, then I will consider a total gun ban.
Same Same with Government officals.
If they all believe it is safe enough to have heavy restrictions on Guns, then no problems. Lead by example.
If you start projecting five to ten years from now based on current trends. Our country will be a whole lot more violent.(unless government corruption, poverty and over population is curbed...i dont think that will ever happen)
Poverty = desperation = criminal intentions to survive
Corrupt Government + Plunder of public monies, property and resources = Poverty & cultivates, encourages and promotes criminal elements and activity.
Over population supplements Poverty
Current climate affecting national/regional and international food crops = higher food prices = hungry poor people = higher pressures for survival from the lower class = increase in frequency of crime.
Disgruntled farmers and lower class fight back & encourgaed to join insurgent groups (NPA-MORO-OCCULT-VIGILANTE-CRIMINAL SYNDICATES) = Increase manning of groups and encourages bolder tactics, increased elicitation of rebel taxes. AFP & PNP undermanned and poorly equipped are over whelmed.
SUMMARY
Corrupt Government (whole) + High Poverty + Population Increase + Climate Change & International matters affecting food and oil prices = more and frequent violence to come.
Response to JSonsultancy
Very true. Positive action is needed from the seemingly silent, but responsible majority of educated gunowners to impose itself and be united. One way is to support the PROGUN movement which may well be the Philippines' version of th U.S.'s NRA. To be represented by a strong lobby group is the only way.
Indeed we live in dangerous times and unfortunately living in a country with a very damaged culture. Criminality is not the only threat. We have a host of threats in fact. A very corrupt government, a hypocritical religious culture, an inadequate and corrupt law enforcement body whose agenda is nothing but to perpetuate their hold on power and of course, help themselves to the country's treasury.
The true enemy is poverty and this country is a powder keg, a time bomb waiting to explode. Nothing has been done to address the problem of population which is only second to the problem of our corrupted culture.
Remember that we have a dwindling middle class and as such, we will never have peace. If we just sit this one out, I'm afraid that the time will be soon when we will have to use the weapons we so ardently wish that we will never use. So, in our current state-of-affairs, " it's better to have a gun and not need it than not have one when needed."
But look at what is being done today. Efforts are being taken to shackle the natural right of man to defend himself. Ownership of arms are being choked by making it more and more difficult for a citizen to own a firearm as if the government is really capable of protecting its citizens. Let's accept the possibility that they couldn't really care less.
To bear arms to defend one's family and oneself is a right. We should move to amend the constitution to see that this right is expressed and protected. As it has always been said: "An armed society is a polite society."
It will however be a long and hard climb because it will need a serious effort to force a matured attitude towards gun ownership. That is why an association like PROGUN must be first and foremost composed of matured, objective and truly respectable people who can transcend the bad Filipino "ugali" that afflicts associations and organizations. Too many to mention here but I'm sure you know what they are.
Let us support this group. This may well be the only group we have.
God bless us all.
Agenda driven clergy
Well, we have been warned of an apostate church. It's in the scripture. That's a very good challenge to the fat cat clergy who are as corrupt as the government itself. Get down from your ivory towers and walk the streets sans the bodyguards and SUV's.
It's like organized crime. What's with these MitsuBishops and Nissan SaPari's solicitations? Good intentions like this RH bill will really be opposed. Fewer births = fewer baptisms, fewer deaths = fewer burials, fewer people = fewer donations, smaller Sunday collections, fewer indulgences. Can you imagine the loss in revenue?
I cannot see the logic that they espouse that our overpopulation is the blessing to this country. Naku! Look at the baby factories in the slums, malnourished mothers and children abound and jobless fathers drinking from dawn to dusk. Look at the irresponsibility that they promote.
What bigger sin is there than to bring a life into a world without hope? Just think about that deeply.
Clerico-fascists
A wise man once asked: "Do we need intermediaries to God?"
Guns don't kill, but the
Guns don't kill, but the government does. ;)
...the government does...
Perhaps the government hates competition :-(