Gatchalian: It's time to pass new law on stiffer penalties for indiscriminate firing

It's high time that stiffer penalties be meted out against those involved in indiscriminate firing of firearms, including devices that can be functionally used as a firearm such as homemade gun, to emphasize the seriousness of the offense, Senator Win Gatchalian said.

"Perpetrators of these shooting sprees should be dealt with an iron hand by making them suffer heavier penalties. Hindi dapat natin hayaan ang mga iresponsableng indibidwal na nakawin ang mga inosenteng buhay dahil lamang sa kapritso nilang magpaputok ng baril na dapat ay ginagamit lamang sa pagtatanggol sa sarili laban sa mga kriminal," said Gatchalian, principal author of Senate Bill 2501 which was approved on third reading Thursday.

The proposed measure, entitled "An Act Penalizing Willful and Indiscriminate Discharge of Firearms which seeks to amend Act No. 3815 otherwise known as the Revised Penal Code (RPC)," transfers the act of discharging firearms from the purview of Alarms and Scandal provision of the RPC to the more serious offense of Discharge of Firearms under Article 254, which carries a stiffer penalty of arresto mayor in its maximum period or six months of imprisonment.

It also imposes a penalty one degree higher if the offender happens to be a member of the military and military auxiliary agencies, law enforcement agencies authorized to bear firearms, and if such discharge of firearms is not in the performance of official duties.

They may also be held administratively liable and their firearm license or permit shall be summarily cancelled and shall also be perpetually disqualified from being granted any firearm license or permit, Gatchalian said.

"These stiffer penalties may be harsh to some but these, I believe, would not even be enough to compensate for the loss of lives of innocent victims. Many instances of indiscriminate firing also brought permanent disability to some who were unintentionally injured," he added.

"These senseless acts of individuals who probably believe that their shooting sprees are harmless should be put to a stop. Gun owners should do their share in keeping their communities safe," Gatchalian ended.

Mas mahigpit na parusa sa indiscriminate firing dapat nang isabatas -- Gatchalian

Napapanahon na ang pagsasabatas ng mas mahigpit na parusa laban sa mga walang habas na nagpapaputok ng baril pati na rin sa mga gumagamit ng paltik o mga katulad na gamit para magsilbing baril upang bigyang diin ang bigat ng kanilang pagkakasala, sabi ni Senador Win Gatchalian.

"Kamay na bakal ang dapat ipatupad sa mga taong walang habas na nagpapaputok ng baril. Hindi natin dapat hayaan ang mga iresponsableng indibidwal na nakawin ang mga inosenteng buhay dahil lamang sa kapritso nilang magpaputok ng baril na dapat ay ginagamit lamang sa pagtatanggol sa sarili laban sa mga kriminal," sabi ni Gatchalian, pangunahing may akda ng Senate Bill 2501.

Ang panukalang batas na pinamagatang "An Act Penalizing Willful and Indiscriminate Discharge of Firearms which seeks to amend Act No. 3815 otherwise known as the Revised Penal Code," ay nagpapataw ng parusang mas mataas ng isang antas kung ang nagkasala ay isang miyembro ng militar at military auxiliary agencies, law enforcement agencies na awtorisado na mag bitbit ng baril o kung ang nagawang pagpapaputok ng baril ay walang kinalaman sa pagganap ng opisyal na tungkulin.

Maaari rin silang panagutin ng mga kasong administratibo at ipawalang bisa ang kanilang lisensya sa paggamit ng baril at patawan din ng habambuhay na diskwalipikasyon sa pagkuha ng anumang lisensya o permit sa pagdadala at paggamit ng anumang uri ng baril, sabi pa ni Gatchalian.

"Maaaring masyadong mabigat ang mga kaparusahang ito sa pananaw ng iba ngunit sa tingin ko, hindi pa rin sapat ang mga ito bilang kapalit ng mga nawalang buhay ng mga inosenteng biktima. Marami nang mga naganap na indiscriminate firing na nagdulot ng permanenteng kapansanan sa ilan," dagdag pa ng senador.

"Ang mga walang kapararakan na mga gawaing ito ng ilang indibidwal na nag-aakalang hindi nakakapinsala ang kanilang walang habas na pamamaril ay dapat nang itigil. Ang mga nagmamay-ari ng baril ay dapat kabalikat sa pagpapanatili ng kaligtasan ng komunidad," pagtatapos ni Gatchalian.