Why must legitimate gun owners always be forced to foot the bill for every sociopath, fanatic and lunatic that makes the headlines?

This was the question posed by the A2S5 Coalition, an anti-crime non-government organization, amid calls for stricter gun control following two highly publicized shooting incidents over the holidays.

World speed shooting legend Jethro Dionisio emphasized that further tightening gun control regulations in the Philippines can only benefit the local firearms black market. Dionisio, who is also incumbent president of the Association of Firearms and Ammunitions Dealers (AFAD) of the Philippines, said local gun owners are already over-regulated.

Meantime, A2S5 director Miguel Gil said the Philippine National Police (PNP) lacks the moral ascendancy to implement more restrictive gun regulations to law-abiding citizens in view of the series of violent incidents involving rogue policemen. He said this is validated by the recent signing into law of the Anti-Enforced Disappearance Act of 2012, to stem abductions involving men in uniform.

For his part, A2S5 director Mike Melchor said that United Nations-sponsored measures to disarm civilians worldwide is unrealistic and warned that such moves may impede civil liberties.

The name A2S5 is derived from Article 2, Section 5 of the Philippine Constitution, which guarantees every citizen’s right to self-protection. Unlike Americans, Filipinos are not protected by a constitutional provision specifically giving them the right to bear arms.

-staff report