Congress urged to repeal ‘Robin Padilla law’ over loose firearms

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla urged Congress to repeal the "Robin Padilla law" to make possession of loose firearms a non-bailable offense.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, August 19, Remulla said that the “Robin Padilla law,” which classified the possession of loose firearms as a bailable offense, has led to a surge in crimes across the country.

"The Robin Padilla law, which extinguished culpability and made it a bailable offense, has led to a surge of crime precisely because loose firearms are a bailable offense," Remulla said.

“Ang hinihingi ko sa Congress, i-repeal na ang Robin Padilla Law at gawin ulit non-bailable ang loose firearms,” he added.

(What I am asking Congress to do is to repeal the Robin Padilla Law and make the possession of loose firearms non-bailable once again.)

Remulla referred to Republic Act No. 8294, a 1997 law that amended Presidential Decree No. 1866 and changed penalties for the illegal possession, manufacture, acquisition and disposition of firearms and ammunition.

Remulla’s appeal comes in the wake of a tragic shooting incident at Ateneo de Zamboanga, where a junior high school student opened fire, resulting in two deaths and nine injuries.

This incident marks the second school shooting in the country recently, following a shooting in Tacloban on July 16.

The shooter in the Zamboanga incident used firearms belonging to his father, a police officer from the Bureau of Customs.

Remulla also expressed frustration that under current laws, gun owners whose negligence allows minors to access their weapons face minimal consequences.

“Ang penalty ng paggamit ng ng legal guns kung kinuha lang ng bata at ginamit ng kinuha ng bata ang baril sa magulang o sa guardian. Ang penalty ay reckless imprudence lamang. Walang Ang penalty ang may hawak ng baril, ang may-ari ng baril,” Remulla said.

(If a child takes a legal gun from a parent or guardian and uses it, the penalty for the owner is only for reckless imprudence. The gun owner faces no penalty specifically for possessing the gun.)

"If 98% of the crimes in this country are committed with loose firearms, it is time for the Philippines to crack down on the owners of these loose firearms," he added.

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