By Edith Regalado
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – President Duterte is set to issue an order that would tighten regulations on ownership and purchase of guns and ensuring they do not fall into the wrong hands.
Duterte said he is waiting for Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Eduardo Año to assume his post as secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) before issuing the guidance on checking out the sale and purchase of firearms.
Duterte wants Año to retire early and assume the DILG post in June.
“The new DILG secretary will be Año. From there, I would provide him the guidance on how to check it out that no firearms would ever, ever land in the hands of an enemy of the state,” Duterte told the participants of a gun show hosted by the Association of Firearms and Ammunition Dealers of the Philippines Inc. at the SMX Convention Center here.
The President stressed the government should improve the regulations regarding ownership of high-powered firearms and put in place measures to prevent these weapons from ending up in the hands of criminals and rebels.
The President said he is planning to create an agency with the sole purpose of regulating the sale and ownership of firearms.
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