No more licenses for heavy firearms: Duterte

ABS-CBN News

Posted at 16 May 2016 04:27 PM | Updated as of 30 Sep 2016 04:46 PM

MANILA - Gun licenses will no longer be issued to civilians with heavy firearms, presumptive president Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday.

For civilians who already have licenses for heavy firearms, they will not be given a permit to carry them in public, he added.

In a press conference in Davao City, Duterte said he will only allow licenses for shotguns and short rifles, but not for heavy firearms like AK-47s and M-16s.

"I will not allow the licensing of heavy firearms. Just a shotgun or a .22 rifle, and one short (rifle). Any caliber will do, as long as it is short. Rifles (are a no-no). Shotguns and .22 rifle. Wala nang heavy firearms. AK-47, M-16, those already given the licenses, okay lang 'yan. But no permit to carry shall be issued to civilians dito sa long firearms, short lang," he said.

Presumptive president Rodrigo Duterte checks guns on display at the Arms and Defense Show at the Megatrade Hall, Mandaluyong City on November 11, 2015. Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News

Duterte also said permits for firearms will only be issued under stringent conditions to prevent any civilian from building a personal armory.

"And it must be under stringent conditions. Ayoko 'yung magbili ng mga almost armory. Eh kapag nanakaw 'yan, ibigay mo 'yan doon sa kabila (rebels). Several times it happened in our country," he said.

He said weapons stolen from the military, more often than not, go to rebel groups like the New People's Army (NPA).

"Itong NPA is a homegrown rebel group, and about the only time I can remember na talagang galing sa labas, I will not name the country because we are on friendly terms. 'Yung Karagatan? If you care to remember, this Karagatan was a small ship that was seized in Mindoro, 'yun lang ang nalaman ko na pumasok ang mga armas dito na AK-47," Duterte said.

"There's a war, but then again, they have to realize that I am with government, and I am the enemy also. But I also offer my hand in peace to Sison and others and we can talk," he added.

Duterte also announced that he is willing to offer the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) some positions in his Cabinet assuming it accepts his offer to join his government.

CPP founder Jose Maria Sison earlier expressed his willingness to resume peace talks with the government if Duterte wins the presidency.