SENATE Majority Floor Leader Juan Miguel ‘Migz’ Zubiri on Tuesday laid out his legislative agenda on firearms policy before industry stakeholders at the 32nd Association of Firearms and Ammunition Dealers of the Philippines (AFAD) Defense and Sporting Arms Show (DSAS) at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, balancing expanded gun rights with stricter accountability for negligent owners.
Zubiri told AFAD’s annual gathering that he has two priority bills-Senate Bill No. 1555, which would strengthen self-defense protections; and Senate Bill No. 1897, a revised set of amendments to the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
Under SB 1555, forced or illegal entry into a home, vehicle, or place of business would create a legal presumption of unlawful aggression-shifting the burden of proof away from the defender.
‘In times of danger, a person has only a few seconds to act,’ said Zubiri, stressing that the bill is not a license for violence but a protection for those unlawfully attacked.
SB 1897-previously vetoed but now revised-proposes expanded exemptions for threat assessment certificates, higher ammunition caps (250 rounds for regular license holders and 2,500 for sports shooters), a shortened election gun ban (45 days before and five days after), simplified ownership transfers upon death or incapacity, and a one-year amnesty for license registration or renewal.
The amendments also aim to cut red tape in defense manufacturing under the Self-Reliant Defense Posture program.
Addressing the recent shooting incidents, Zubiri drew a sharp line between responsible owners and negligent ones.
‘This was not the fault of responsible gun owners,’ he said, blaming the tragedy on owners who failed to secure their firearms under Section 9 of RA 10591.
He pledged to impose criminal liability and stiffer penalties for such negligence, arguing the current penalty of prisión correccional .
‘I don’t think this is equivalent to the lives of the children who died,’ he said. ‘We must make those gun owners accountable, they didn’t pull the trigger, but their negligence paved the way for the tragedy to happen.’
The DSAS, organized by AFAD headed by Alaric ‘Aric’ Topacio is the longest and premier firearms exhibition in the country.
The trade show ends Saturday at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex.