Edu Manzano barnstorms public markets in Quezon City, stopping to exchange pleasantries with vendors, shake hands to market goers, buy some foodstuff. Manzano was the former head of the Optical Media Board. (Photo by ART TORRES)

Lakas-Kampi-CMD vice presidential candidate Edu Manzano Sunday proposed a stricter penalties for government authorities involved in the pilferage of impounded or confiscated firearms that are mostly feared to have ended up in the hands of criminal elements.

Manzano made the proposal in the wake of reports that there are still at least four loose guns for every 1,000 of the population.

To address the problem, Manzano, former national president of the Vice Mayors League, sought an end not just to the plunder of government arsenals, but also to the misuse and diversion of confiscated firearms that eventually end up in the blackmarket.

"We need more aggressive controls on impounded firearms, including those seized during the five-month election season gun ban, to prevent their recycling back into the crime realm," said Manzano, one-time vice mayor of Makati City.

"Immediately after documentation for prosecution evidence, the impounded weapons should be properly allocated to the military, the police or other law enforcement agencies. This way, we prevent their misappropriation," Manzano said.

He said all seized firearms should be entrusted to a central depository, in the same manner that all confiscated illegal drugs are deposited with the Dangerous Drugs Board.

"We already have rigid controls on the disposition of seized drugs. We should have similar checks with respect to impounded firearms," Manzano said.

Under new rules, seized drugs are instantly destroyed by the DDB, leaving only controlled samples for prosecution evidence.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it has so far accounted for only 683,502 pieces or 62 percent of the estimated 1.1 million loose guns nationwide.

"With some 416,000 pieces still unaccounted for, this leaves us with at least four loose firearms amid every 1,000 Filipinos," Manzano said.

The guns accounted for include 59,221 pieces listed in the recently concluded amnesty program. The licenses of another 201,989 pieces were also renewed.

As of March 9, a total of 1,123 firearms as well as 221 grenades and explosives had been seized in connection with the nationwide poll season gun ban from Jan. 10 to June 9.