PNP Civil Security Group spokesperson Lt. Col. Eudisan Gultiano (PNA photo by Lloyd Caliwan)
MANILA – The Philippine National Police-Civil Security Group (PNP-CSG) on Thursday said active cops and soldiers need not to undergo drug test as well as psychological and psychiatric examinations when they apply for renewal of their license to own and possess firearms (LTOPF).
CSG spokesperson Lt. Col. Eudisan Gultiano made this clarification as she announced that the LTOPF of 11,853 PNP personnel and 14,434 members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have already expired.
She said PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil has issued a memorandum instituting the changes in the application of new and renewal of gun licenses for police and military officers.
All active military and police personnel, she said, are no longer required to undergo drug tests and psychological and psychiatric examinations when applying for renewal of gun licenses.
“I would like to clarify that (memorandum) covers only the AFP, PNP active personnel,” Gultiano said in a media interview.
She said the policy does not cover members of other law enforcement agencies such as the National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Philippine Coast Guard.
Gultiano said police officers are regularly subjected to drug tests as well as psychological and psychiatric examinations, particularly when they apply for promotion or when they go on schooling.
As part of its internal cleansing drive, the PNP also conducts random drug tests on its officers and personnel, she added.
“Meron tayong mga promotion, schooling. Ang ating mga pulis ay required na mag schooling so lahat yan meron yang mag-a undergo na yan ng drug test and at the same time meron kasi tayong din yearly na mga program ang health service tungkol sa kalusugang pangkaisipan, kasama doon yung psychological and psychiatric evaluation (We have promotions, schooling. Our police officers are required to go to school so all of them have to undergo a drug test and at the same time we also have annual programs for the health service regarding mental health, including psychological and psychiatric evaluation),” she said.
Police officers and military personnel, however, are required to submit their government-issued identification cards for the processing of their firearm licenses.
Gultiano, meanwhile, encouraged the law enforcers to register their firearms as data from CSG also show that there are 54,751 expired firearm registration both from the PNP and AFP.
She said cops who will not renew their firearm registration and their licenses may face administrative case and even possible criminal case.
“Aside from that, meron din administrative on revocation and cancellation ng mga licenses so talagang kumbaga pagdating sa accountability mas madami, mas mabigat para sa mga active member ng PNP and AFP (Aside from that, there is also administrative on revocation and cancellation of licenses so it really seems that when it comes to accountability, there are more, more accountability for the active members of the PNP and AFP,” she said.
“We think enough measure para macontrol or madiscipline din natin yung mga paggamit ng baril ng ating mga active personnel (We think it is enough measure so we can also control or discipline the use of firearms by our active personnel),” she added. (PNA)
