Policemen, soldiers and other law enforcers may likely lose their freedom to carry their guns while in civilian clothes as the issuing authority, the Philippine National Police (PNP) moves to implement stricter measures on gun possession as an offshoot of the successful gun ban implementation during the election period.

The only way to restore that freedom would be for cops, military personnel and other members of law enforcement agencies like the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to secure a Permit to Carry Firearms Outside Residence (PTCFOR) just like ordinary civilian gun owners do, said Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina, PNP spokesman.
But Espina was quick to clarify that such requirement is just a proposal made by the participants of the Consultative Meeting on National Firearms Control Program hosted by the PNP two weeks ago.

“As per the proposal of the consultative summit attendees, permit to carry firearms would now be for both civilians and government agents. This means that if we are going to be in civilian (clothes), the proper paper to carry your firearms outside residence is a PTCFOR,” said Espina in an interview.
Among the measures implemented during the nationwide gun ban from January 10 to June 9 this year is to bar law enforcement agents from carrying firearms if they are not in proper uniform.

A total of 108 policemen and 70 soldiers were arrested during the gun ban period, with the arrested cops just waiting for orders to be deployed in Maguindanao in what appears to be a form of punishment for breaking the very law that they were supposed to implement.

But Espina said the payment that would be asked for government’s law enforcement agents would be minimal compared to what is being paid by civilians.

One of the requirements for seeking PTCFOR is neuro-psychiatric test and the PNP is also eyeing stricter measures for such examinations.

“Another proposal of the stakeholders is the centralization of the neuro-psychiatric test. This would be done in Camp Crame and all tests conducted by private neuro-psychiatrist would no longer be honored,” said Espina.

The move, he said, is to ensure that only qualified persons would be asked to carry firearms and as a measure against the bogus and erring neuro-psychiatric testing agencies.

“But again these are just proposals, we still have to come up with the details on how all of these would be implemented,” said Espina.

“There would be a post summit conference again for everything to be threshed out,” he added, revealing that it is scheduled on Tuesday morning in Camp Cram