Gun stores banned from selling merchandise to local officials

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — President Duterte has advised gun stores against selling high-powered firearms to local officials.

Duterte ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to implement the ban and control the sale of high-powered firearms, limiting their sale only to law enforcers and the military.

Duterte lamented some of the firearms have been used in the killing of soldiers, policemen and civilians. 

Should these high-powered firearms fall into the hands of communist rebels and other enemies of the state, Duterte said the ones responsible for such sale would be subjected to court-martial.

“He gets the summary court-martial. Remember that in Mindanao there is martial law. I will ask the military to set up martial law courts,” the President said. 

Duterte said the same would be imposed on those who buy ammunition that ends up in the hands of criminals.

“If you are a soldier, you buy bullets there and somehow it reaches the hands of the enemies of the state, be careful. I will be unforgiving. You will not only be discharged, I will insist that you will be in jail,” Duterte said.

The President said it would be a case of supplying ammunition to the enemies of state when one sells high-powered firearms and bullets to civilians.

These high-powered firearms and ammunition are also used in attacking military detachments and police stations, he said. 

“That is why we keep the firearms and the ammunition from the enemies of the state,” Duterte said.