THE Philippine National Police (PNP) reiterated on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, its strict enforcement of firearm licensing and registration requirements, reminding gun owners that compliance with firearm laws remains mandatory regardless of status or position in government.
In a statement, PNP Chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. emphasized that firearm ownership is a regulated privilege under Philippine law and that all firearms must be properly licensed, registered, and renewed through the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office.
“The Philippine National Police reminds all firearm owners that ownership of firearms is a regulated privilege under the law. Every firearm must be properly licensed, registered, and regularly renewed with the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office,” Nartatez said in a statement.
The PNP chief said gun owners must also comply with requirements on lawful possession, documentation, and safe storage of firearms.
“We urge strict compliance with all requirements on safe storage, documentation, and lawful possession. Transparency in firearm ownership is essential not only for accountability but also for public safety,” he added.
Nartatez underscored that violations of firearm regulations may lead to both administrative and criminal liabilities.
“Regardless of status or position, all gun owners are subject to the same rules. The PNP enforces firearm laws equally and without exception,” he said.
The PNP’s statement comes as allegations involving the firearm holdings of Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio, have surfaced during preparations for the Senate impeachment trial.
House prosecutor and Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon earlier alleged that records obtained from the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office showed the couple owned around 50 firearms, including rifles, pistols, revolvers, and shotguns, which were allegedly not declared in Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) from 2007 to 2025.
Ridon said the alleged undeclared firearms would form part of the prosecution’s evidence in the impeachment proceedings.
According to Ridon, House prosecutors intend to subpoena records and invite firearm dealers, as well as officials from the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office, to testify regarding the firearms allegedly linked to the Duterte-Carpio couple.
The allegations, however, center on the alleged non-disclosure of firearms in SALN filings and do not, by themselves, establish that the firearms were unlicensed.
As of Wednesday, June 17, no official finding has been issued by the PNP stating that the firearms attributed to Duterte and Carpio were illegally possessed or lacked the required licenses.
The Office of the Vice President and Carpio’s camp have previously disputed various allegations raised during congressional inquiries and impeachment-related proceedings, maintaining that due process must be observed in the handling of evidence and public disclosures. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)