Gun Possession and Filipinos

The unabated wave of killing in the country makes us think on the practicality of possessing a gun for self-defense and to protect properties. I am not keen of a Philippine law that entitles its citizens to rightfully posses a gun. After undergoing some processing, gun club members whose passion is target shooting can legally own a gun although some say that joining such clubs merely serves as a cover to have a gun. In the United States, any one can purchase a gun so long as  s/he passes a background check to prevent weapons into the wrong hands. Here in the country, it is unbelievable that gun dealers  and the government have realistic program in determining whether a gun buyer is a law-abiding citizen or a criminal.

Reports, if they are to be believed, say that there are roughly one million loose firearms in the country. Most of these are in the hands of criminals, felons, potential criminals, goons, rebels, terrorists and other lawless elements.

Filipinos are hot-tempered people. Fist fights if not death results by simply singing Frank Sinatra’s masterpiece “My Way” in karaoke bars. The mere unintentional eye to eye contact of strangers can result the same with no apparent reason or provocation.

The streets of the country are very dangerous.

Threatened by armed scalawags and bad eggs, why can't law-abiding citizens of this country defend themselves and their properties?  Why should the former have weapons instead of the latter?

The idea of imposing a total gun ban after the elections hit the headlines during the campaign period but Pres. Aquino, a master marksman and gun enthusiast sneered at the idea.

I find it all right for Filipinos in the streets to have the basic right to carry unconcealed and unloaded gun  with ammunition attached to the belt “exclusively” for self-defense. What if people have a  holstered gun in Araneta or Makati commercial center? That’s not an issue if there is a law entitling Filipinos to carry a weapon. But what if there will be more crimes? I don’t see it that way because  in an equal balance of terror, i.e. both are armed; both parties are scared of the other although I am not discounting the possibility of crimes but surely in a lesser amount. Almost everyday, killings are in the news. In these cases close to100% of the victims are unarmed.

If and when that happens, the legal system must be fair and square in locking the culprits in jail and then they can throw away the key into the sea.  A credible method checking the background of a gun buyer must be established and rules in possessing a weapon must strictly be enforced equally. -30-