The Philippine National Police (PNP) has vowed to ensure that the 64 violators of the gun ban implemented for the first State of the Nation Address (SONA) will be punished.
Police Maj. Gen. Valeriano T. De Leon, PNP director for Operations, said he will monitor the progress of the filing of the cases in the courts and the progress of the move to either suspend or perpetually ban licensed firearms holders who were arrested from July 22-27 gun ban implementation in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon).
"Our Firearms and Explosive Office is now conducting a case review to determine who among them are registered firearms owners. If they are found to be registered firearms owners, then sanctions will be imposed on them, including perpetual disqualification from owning a gun," said De Leon.
For those arrested with loose firearms, De Leon said criminal charges will be automatically filed against them for illegal possession of firearms or the violation of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition).
De Leon said among those arrested was Dr. Chao Tiao Yumol, the gunman in the shooting at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, which happened on Sunday, July 24.
Based on the PNP records, Yumol owned one of the two guns seized from him when he was arrested 30 minutes after the Ateneo shooting.
The other firearm, a cal .45 pistol, was traced to a soldier assigned to Basilan and is believed to have been acquired by Yumol from the black market. The military said the handgun seized from him was reported lost by an Army officer in 2019.
"These are the reasons why he was charged with violation of Republic Act 10591," said De Leon.
De Leon, former director of the PNP-Firearms and Explosive Office, earlier warned that he would personally make sure that gun ban violators are punished accordingly for disregarding the rules and regulations of the PNP.