BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia has asked Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) Director Henry Binas to have a total gun ban in the city during the 40th MassKara Festival from October 7 to 27.
“I already talked with Binas and I told him that I go for the total gun ban. The safety of the people will be the highest consideration,” he said.
Leonardia said they also discussed the implementation of signal jamming during the festival.
The City Council, however, earlier approved a resolution urging the BCPO to consider the possibility of not imposing a gun ban during the MassKara Festival.
The resolution was authored by Councilor Al Victor Espino, chairperson of the City Council committee on police matters.
Espino said the chief director of the Philippine National Police (PNP) is mandated by Republic Act 10591 to formulate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of the comprehensive law regulating ownership, possession, and carrying of firearms and ammunitions. As such, he is authorized by law to impose gun ban order according to its necessity.
“Every MassKara Festival, the PNP chief director imposes a gun ban order, which prohibits the possession of firearms outside the residence of a person who has a permit to carry such firearms,” he said.
He added the imposition of gun ban order is not necessary during the MassKara Festival because it does not diminish the actual threat or imminent danger on the life of a person permitted by law to carry firearms, and is not a sufficient reason or cause for the deprivation of such privilege.
The imposition of gun ban order only restricts those licensed citizen and not those who illegally possess or carry firearms.
In any event, it is easier to tract and apprehend licensed citizens than those who illegally possess or carry loose firearms.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Ariel Pico, spokesperson of BCPO, earlier said they already submitted their request to the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Western Visayas to suspend permits to carry firearms outside residences during the MassKara Festival.
“We requested for the enforcement of the gun ban from the opening of festival until October 27 which it’s a big help to reach the zero major crime incidents here,” he said.
He added that they are still waiting for the approval of the gun ban from the PNP central office.