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GUNS
being inanimate objects do not cause such crimes.
Rather, it is the criminals who misuse unlicensed guns
that commit crimes, and must be brought to justice.
The
Peaceful, Responsible Owners of Guns Inc. (Progun)
issued the statement amid efforts by some sectors to
take away the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and
hold licensed firearms following the robbery at the
Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. bank branch in Laguna,
that resulted in the killing of 10 persons on May 16 and
followed by the shooting to death of eight persons by a
man who run amok days later.
Progun
has condemned the incidents, saying the assailants be
meted out swift justice and be given the maximum
penalties imposable under the law.
“Progun,
likewise, condole with the families and loved ones of
the victims of these incidents and join them in seeking
justice against the perpetrators, said JayJay Mendoza,
the group’s national president.
Mendoza
said the prevalence of criminality of such nature is a
public safety and security problem which must be
addressed by law enforcement.
He
cautioned the public against what he described as the
“usual knee- jerk reaction” of some individuals who are
moving to ban the right of law-abiding citizens to keep
and hold licensed firearms for their protection and
personal security.
Mendoza
said that records of the National Police show that in
2007, of the total number of firearms involved in
crimes, 5,525 or more than 99 percent were unlicensed.
“We
believe that gun bans are not the solution to such
problems, but, rather, may even exacerbate the problem
of criminality by rendering the law-abiding public
defenseless against such insensible attacks by
criminals,” Mendoza said.
“As we
have witnessed, the police are not around always to
protect each and every citizen from criminal violence.
Let us not add more tragedies to the already long list
of citizens who have been victims of violent crime. Had
the victims been armed and trained in the use of
firearms, lives could have been saved. Each and every
person has the inalienable right under the law to defend
himself and his family from criminals,” he added.
Mendoza
said that a gun ban will not curb crime as evidenced by
past elections where a number of innocent people were
killed and wounded despite the gun ban imposed by the
Commission on Elections.
“In
spite of the so-called election gun ban, numerous
innocent people fall victim to criminal election
violence. In the end, criminals are the only ones who
benefit from a gun ban, since they prey more easily on
their hapless victims,” Mendoza said.
“Let us
address and solve criminality through more effective law
enforcement bolstered by public cooperation. In this
regard, we are always supportive of law enforcement in
whatever way we can to prevent such tragedies from
happening again,” he added. |
