MANILA, Philippines — Licensed gun owners could face stricter scrutiny under a proposal from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), as authorities push for stronger safeguards following a series of deadly school shooting incidents involving firearms that were accessible to minors.
DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the government should have the authority to inspect gun owners’ homes to determine whether their firearms are properly secured and kept away from unauthorized users.
Remulla stressed that firearm ownership comes with a responsibility to safely store the weapon.
“Gun ownership also carries with it gun responsibility,” Remulla said, arguing that authorities should be able to check whether firearms are properly kept in safekeeping.
The proposal comes amid renewed scrutiny of the country’s firearms regulations after the June 22 shooting in Tacloban City and the August 18 shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University, where firearms were reportedly accessed by minors.
The incidents have prompted calls for tougher accountability not only for people who illegally possess firearms, but also for licensed owners whose weapons are improperly secured.
Proposal is not yet a nationwide inspection requirement
The proposed home-inspection policy is not currently a blanket legal requirement for all licensed gun owners. It would require changes to existing rules and legislation before authorities could implement such a system nationwide.
The existing Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, or Republic Act No. 10591, already requires licensed firearm owners to have appropriate security measures for safekeeping.
Sen. Raffy Tulfo has separately proposed that the Philippine National Police (PNP) inspect an applicant’s firearm storage facility before issuing a License to Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF).
Tulfo said firearms should be kept in a secure location that cannot be easily accessed by children or other unauthorized individuals.
Under existing rules, certain higher-level firearm licenses already have inspection and security requirements, particularly for owners authorized to possess larger numbers of firearms. Tulfo wants the inspection requirement strengthened and applied more broadly.
Tougher penalties also being pushed
The DILG’s latest push goes beyond storage inspections.
Remulla is also asking Congress to consider making illegal possession of loose firearms a non-bailable offense punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
He has argued that stronger penalties are needed to address the proliferation of loose firearms, which authorities have linked to a large share of gun-related crimes.
However, that proposal is also not yet law. It would require congressional action and the passage of legislation.
Remulla has further called for greater criminal accountability when a licensed firearm is improperly secured and subsequently used by another person to commit a crime.
The DILG has said existing laws do not clearly impose criminal liability on firearm owners in every situation where their registered weapons are used by another person.
House measure targets gun access in homes with minors
Another proposal already filed in the House seeks to specifically address firearm safety in households where children live.
House Bill No. 10058, known as the proposed Child Safety Against Gun Violence Act, would require firearm owners residing with minors to keep guns unloaded and inside tamper-resistant safes. Ammunition would also have to be stored separately and kept away from children.
The measure would also provide for inspections by the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office during periodic inspections and firearm-license renewals for covered gun owners.
The PNP has expressed support for efforts to strengthen firearm-storage requirements and hold negligent gun owners accountable.
Why the proposals are gaining attention
The renewed push for stricter firearm regulation follows two recent school shooting incidents that raised questions about how minors were able to gain access to firearms.
The government is now looking at several possible measures—including stronger storage requirements, inspections, increased liability for negligent owners and tougher penalties for illegal possession of firearms.
For now, however, licensed gun owners should distinguish between existing legal requirements and proposed changes.
The proposals still need to go through the legislative and regulatory process before any new nationwide inspection or penalty system can take effect.
The broader message from authorities is clear: owning a firearm may be legally permitted, but securing it from unauthorized access is becoming a major focus of the government’s firearms-policy review.
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