LINGAYEN—Licensed gun owners in Pangasinan welcomed the lifting of the suspension of the permit to carry firearms outside of residence (PTCFOR) in the province.

The order to recall the suspension came exactly four months after Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Alan Purisima ordered the suspension on June 13, a week after the brutal slaying of Urbiztondo Mayor Ernesto Balolong Jr.  on June 7, 2014.

The licensed gun owners, including members of the sanggunian panlalawigan who passed a resolution for the same, had been calling for the lifting of the suspension of the permit issued to licensed gun owners to carry their firearms citing the need for these for self defense.

Chief Inspector Ryan Manongdo, public information officer of the Pangasinan Provincial Police Office (PPPO), said the order was issued though a memorandum from Police Regional Office 1 (PRO 1) dated Oct. 13, 2014.

Manongdo said no reason was cited by PNP higher headquarters for the lifting of the suspension but he surmised that the suspension was lifted by the PNP Chief due to the noticeable decrease in the number of shooting incidents in Pangasinan over the last few months particularly those perpetrated by motorcycle tandem-riding hitmen.

PPPO’s data reportedly shows that the shooting incident decreased by 20 to 22.5% over the last three months, only 69 shooting incidents recorded from June 13 to Oct. 13 this year as compared to 89 for the same period last year.

Using the data as his premise, Manongdo challenged gun owners to prove that with the lifting of the suspension, shooting incidents will not increase even as he maintained the lifting of the suspension will not affect the conduct of ‘Oplan Sita’, ‘Oplan Katok’ and intensified implementation of search warrants.

The licensed gun owners in the province welcome the lifting of the suspension of PTCFOR even as they maintain the lifting of the suspension was long overdue.

“Although it should not have been done, we are happy that it was finally withdrawn,” Board Member Alfie Bince who authored the resolution asking for the immediate lifting of the suspension, said.

Lawyer Jose Netu Tamayo, a councilor of Dagupan City and a licensed gun owner himself, had sponsored a resolution asking the PNP to lift the suspension of PTCFOR following the request of members of the Dagupan Practical Shooters Association, other gun owners and businessmen in the city.

His resolution included a request of the gun owners for PNP to set up PNP satellite offices that can issue PTCFOR because Camp Crame is too far from the province for anyone who wishes to apply for PTCFOR.

Dr. Benedict Macaraeg, president of Dagupan Practical Shooting Association, also welcomed the lifting of the suspension.

Meanwhile, Manongdo announced that possibly another caravan for applications to own and possess firearm (LTOP) license will be held in the province but no definite date was announced. (Hilda M. Austria/PNA)

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