Secretary Ronnie Puno of the department of the interior and Local government commented the Philippine National Police will soon issue a directive limiting armed escorts assigned to executive officials and non-public individuals to just two peace officers per person.
Puno mentioned that under this new order to be issued by PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa, a government official or private individual should show explanation that his life is under intent threat to be exempted from this two-escort limit rule.
The DILG chief also observed that he has already stopped way back the practice of assigning officers from the PNP's Special Action Force ( SAF ) to act as security escorts as this should be the function of the Police Security and Protection Office ( PSPO ).
'We are going to tighten this process a little by requiring that just two security escorts be provided for each individual,' Puno asserted.
Puno said the directive also covers local chief executives, who usually have more than 2 law enforcement officials assigned to protect them.
In the 2007 election season, the PNP had already imposed this limit of assigning just two policemen as detailed VIP security staff for every individual.
state officers or electoral candidates who had needed to be exempted from this rule had to secure an approval from the Commission on Elections at that time.
The PNP, then under the leadership of Director General Oscar Calderon, had imposed the safety detail limit to stop statesmen from using officers as armed bodyguards or goons during the elections.
Other related news:
1. Ronnie Puno: Women and Children Protection Desks Now in PNP Stations
2. Ronnie Puno: A Man with a Soft Heart for his Family
3. Know Your Candidates: Ronnie Puno is "Mahalaga" as husband and dad
4. Ronnie Puno supports Matugas-Romarate bill extending term of office of brgy. execs
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Ronnie Puno Crackdown on Loose Firearms
Secretary Ronnie Puno of the Department of the interior and Local presidency said a heavy crackdown versus loose firearms will follow a 1-month gun amnesty program that might be put into effect by the govt. beginning October this year as part of the increased efforts of the Philippine state Police to maintain peace and order.
Puno warned gun owners of loose firearms who fail to avail themselves of the new program that they could go to jail after the amnesty period is over.
Puno, along with PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa and heads of other law enforcement agencies signed last July twenty-three the Implementing Rules and regulations ( IRR ) of Executive Order 817, which directs law enforcement agencies to roll out a National Firearms Control Program.
'The imminent gun amnesty program will be the last chance for gun owners to register their loose firearms or those with expired licenses as this would be the last amnesty program to be implemented by the governing body under the Arroyo administration,' Ronnie Puno said during a press conference here.
He called on local chief middle management to help the DILG carry out an info campaign on the gun amnesty program, which will last from Oct 1-31 of this year.
'We have just implemented about three or four similar programs during the past and many have not taken them seriously, thinking that there would be another amnesty program. When the amnesty is over, we'll carry out a huge anti-loose firearms drive,' Puno said. 'A word of caution to those that own unlicensed firearms : we can't be implementing another gun amnesty program after this one.'
He warranted gun owners the PNP will accept the registrations of their unlicensed firearms and those with expired licenses in the amnesty period with'no questions asked.'
The PNP, Puno claimed, is implementing the gun amnesty program months ahead of the campaign period for the 2010 elections so that such an effort won't be misconstrued in any way as a political move on the part of the govt.
The DILG chief related the government is expecting to bring down the level of loose firearms in the country by 50% with the execution of the amnesty program.
'We truly need to clean up this matter of loose firearms because our issues on peace and order usually have to do with illegal guns,' Puno said.
Ronnie Puno said the PNP, that has already collected an inventory of formerly registered firearms with unrenewed licenses, will carry out a house-to-house campaign after Oct. 31 against gun owners who fail to register their firearms in the amnesty period.
EO 817 issued by President Arroyo orders the execution of a state Firearms Control Program.
The directive, which provides for a general amnesty for the registration of loose firearms, jobs the PNP to conduct active police operations against unregistered firearms through random weapons checks in crime-prone areas ; mobile checkpoint and chokepoint operations ; intelligence increase ; internal security operations ; application of search warrants ; and dismantling of personal armed groups.
the governing body is expecting to reduce by at least 3% per month the estimated 1.1 million loose firearms now in the hands of threat groups, criminal elements and unauthorized people.
The PNP is targeting to account for some 33,000 loose firearms within the first month of implementation of EO 817.
Other related news:
1. Ronnie Puno: Women and Children Protection Desks Now in PNP Stations
2. Ronnie Puno: A Man with a Soft Heart for his Family
3. Know Your Candidates: Ronnie Puno is "Mahalaga" as husband and dad
4. Ronnie Puno supports Matugas-Romarate bill extending term of office of brgy. execs
Puno warned gun owners of loose firearms who fail to avail themselves of the new program that they could go to jail after the amnesty period is over.
Puno, along with PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa and heads of other law enforcement agencies signed last July twenty-three the Implementing Rules and regulations ( IRR ) of Executive Order 817, which directs law enforcement agencies to roll out a National Firearms Control Program.
'The imminent gun amnesty program will be the last chance for gun owners to register their loose firearms or those with expired licenses as this would be the last amnesty program to be implemented by the governing body under the Arroyo administration,' Ronnie Puno said during a press conference here.
He called on local chief middle management to help the DILG carry out an info campaign on the gun amnesty program, which will last from Oct 1-31 of this year.
'We have just implemented about three or four similar programs during the past and many have not taken them seriously, thinking that there would be another amnesty program. When the amnesty is over, we'll carry out a huge anti-loose firearms drive,' Puno said. 'A word of caution to those that own unlicensed firearms : we can't be implementing another gun amnesty program after this one.'
He warranted gun owners the PNP will accept the registrations of their unlicensed firearms and those with expired licenses in the amnesty period with'no questions asked.'
The PNP, Puno claimed, is implementing the gun amnesty program months ahead of the campaign period for the 2010 elections so that such an effort won't be misconstrued in any way as a political move on the part of the govt.
The DILG chief related the government is expecting to bring down the level of loose firearms in the country by 50% with the execution of the amnesty program.
'We truly need to clean up this matter of loose firearms because our issues on peace and order usually have to do with illegal guns,' Puno said.
Ronnie Puno said the PNP, that has already collected an inventory of formerly registered firearms with unrenewed licenses, will carry out a house-to-house campaign after Oct. 31 against gun owners who fail to register their firearms in the amnesty period.
EO 817 issued by President Arroyo orders the execution of a state Firearms Control Program.
The directive, which provides for a general amnesty for the registration of loose firearms, jobs the PNP to conduct active police operations against unregistered firearms through random weapons checks in crime-prone areas ; mobile checkpoint and chokepoint operations ; intelligence increase ; internal security operations ; application of search warrants ; and dismantling of personal armed groups.
the governing body is expecting to reduce by at least 3% per month the estimated 1.1 million loose firearms now in the hands of threat groups, criminal elements and unauthorized people.
The PNP is targeting to account for some 33,000 loose firearms within the first month of implementation of EO 817.
Other related news:
1. Ronnie Puno: Women and Children Protection Desks Now in PNP Stations
2. Ronnie Puno: A Man with a Soft Heart for his Family
3. Know Your Candidates: Ronnie Puno is "Mahalaga" as husband and dad
4. Ronnie Puno supports Matugas-Romarate bill extending term of office of brgy. execs
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