THE 19th Davao City Council passed a resolution recommending the continuous "gun ban" in the city until December 31, 2021.
The council approved on Tuesday, April 20, the resolution recommending the suspension of permit to carry firearms outside of residence (PTCFOR) in the territorial jurisdiction of the city until the end of the year.
Councilor Mabel Sunga Acosta, proponent of the measure, said the resolution intends to urge the central head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to ban the carrying of firearms by individuals.
Only the chief PNP has the power to regulate the issuance of firearms, and its suspension, as stated under Republic Act 6975 and 10591.
The suspension of the PTCFOR was first implemented on May 23, 2017, after President Rodrigo Duterte issued Proclamation 216 declaring Martial Law and suspension of privilege of writ of habeas corpus the entire Mindanao, including Davao City, shortly after an armed conflict erupted in Marawi City in Lanao del Sur.
The conflict lasted five months, but the 60-day martial law was extended until the end of 2017. Martial law was again extended until the end of 2018 and further to end-2019 to allow government forces to go after terrorists and other armed groups.
"Among the effect is the suspension of the Permit To Carry Firearms Outside Of Residence which is considered one of the effective measures of realizing the purpose of the proclamation," Acosta said.
Before the expiration of the proclamation, and the lifting of the martial law in Mindanao by the end of 2019, the City Council passed a resolution extending the PTCFOR suspension for another year, which was later approved by the chief PNP.
Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) head Angel Sumagaysay said the city would like to sustain the policy on PTCFOR as this had brought a positive outcome to the city's law and order situation.
"We would like to sustain kung ano ‘yung naranasan natin (what we experienced) during the suspension of the PTCFOR para na rin sa (for) Davao City," Sumagaysay said.
Davao City Police Office (DCPO) Chief Kirby John Kraft said the same policies will be implemented from last year.
Kraft said they noted several non-city residents who tried to bring firearms inside the city that were caught in the border checkpoint.
"That is one of the main reasons why we requested for the extension of the continuous suspension to discourage these people from carrying despite having the permit to carry, they should not enter Davao City because of the suspension of PTCFOR," the DCPO chief said.