THE 36-member Quezon City council wants to pass a resolution urging the House of Representatives to legislate stiffer penalties for indiscriminate gun-firing.
District 2 Councilor Ranulfo Ludovica authored City Resolution 7165, in response to the death of 15-year-old Emilyn Villanueva Calano of Barangay San Agustin, Malabon City, who was hit by a stray bullet while watching fireworks on New Year’s Eve 2017, fell into a coma and died.
“Despite a law and stern warning from the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines and other government officials, indiscriminate firing of guns remains and, in fact, continues to proliferate not only during holiday revelries but even in other occasions or festivities,” the resolution read.
Several fatalities are recorded each year due to indiscriminate firing, police and hospital records show.
In 2016, PNP has recorded a total of 23 indiscriminate firing incidents from December 16 to January 2. While latest reports on January 2017 show that the number increased to 41 cases.
“Despite the stern warning from PNP, indiscriminate gun-firing still proliferates,” the measure cited.
He said firing a gun in the air is merely considered a case of “alarm and scandal” punishable by one day to 30 days of imprisonment or a fine of P200 under Article 155 of the Revised Penal Code.
“In order to quell this deadly habit, it is imperative to impose a stiffer and more inflexible punishment for people caught violating the law on gun-firing,” he added.