DAGUPAN CITY (PIA) – The Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) reminded gun owners that having a license to own and possessing a firearm (LTOPF) does not give them permission to carry their firearms outside their residence when the ‘gun ban’ starts on August 28.

PCOL Meilani Joy Ordoño, head of the Provincial Forensic Unit of Pangasinan PPO, made emphasis on being a responsible gun owner.

“It is your responsibility na kahit registered po ang inyong firearms, basta pumasok na ang gun ban ay hindi na ito pwedeng dalhin outside your residence maliban kung kabilang kayo sa list of people being exempted by the COMELEC when the gun ban is implemented,” she said.

Ordoño urged gun owners to follow the instructions of police personnel and the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in the implementation of the gun ban to avoid violation of Republic Act No. 10591, Article 5, Section 31 or the ‘Absence of Permit to Carry Outside of Residence.’

Based on the law, a penalty of imprisonment and a fine of P10,000 shall be imposed upon any person who is licensed to own a firearm but who shall carry the registered firearm outside his/her residence without any legal authority.

“Kung wala kayong dokumento para ilabas ang inyong baril, might leave it to your respective home para hindi kayo magkaroon ng violation sa COMELEC gun ban,” Ordoño said.

Meanwhile, Ordoño said that military and police personnel are exempted from the gun ban implementation as granted by the COMELEC.

“Pasok po ang mga kapulisan natin sa pwedeng ma-exempt from the gun ban if they are in their duty. That is the only time that they can bring outside their residence their firearms,” she said.

Earlier, to bring the LTOPF registration and renewal process closer to Dagupeños, the Pangasinan PPO conducted a two-day LTOPF caravan from August 17 to 18, 2023 at the Dagupan City People’s Astrodome before the start of the gun ban for the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE). (JCR/MJTAB/JCDR/PIA Pangasinan)