Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla is calling for significantly harsher penalties for illegal gun possession, advocating to make the violation non-bailable and punishable by up to two decades in prison.
Remulla linked recent spikes in violent crime to the amended firearms law—which he referred to as the “Robin Padilla Law”—despite false claims attributing its authorship to the actor-turned-politician while in detention.
The existing amendment relaxed penalties for specific violations and allowed individuals caught with loose firearms to secure bail. While acknowledging that the provision benefited certain individuals, Remulla emphasized that it created widespread public safety risks, as unlicensed firearms are utilized in nearly all gun-related crimes.
He cited two recent school shootings as urgent reasons to strengthen deterrence against unlawful gun ownership.
“The current penalty does not provide a sufficient deterrent because persons caught illegally possessing loose firearms may still post bail while their cases are pending,” Remulla noted. “Now, when you catch someone with loose firearms, it’s bailable. You’ll just go out. You have a record but the case is bailable, then you go to a hearing.”
To curb gun-related offenses, Remulla is demanding specific statutory changes. When asked about his targets for law reform, he pushed for direct solutions:
“Non-bailable and then 20 years in prison.”
Congressional leaders are expediting draft revisions to tighten firearm ownership rules, with passage targeted for January.
Remulla expressed optimism about the proposed overhaul, maintaining that stricter punishments will significantly reduce firearm-related crimes across the nation.