New law extends firearm registration, license to carry up to 10 years

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 18) — President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a new law extending the validity of firearm registration and licenses to carry them up to ten years.

Under Republic Act 11766, these can be renewed every five years or ten years "at the option of the licensee, which shall be reckoned from the birthdate of the said licensee, unless sooner revoked or suspended." 

Failure to renew the license on or before the date of expiration will cause its revocation and of the firearm's registration under the concerned licensee. Firearms whose registration are not renewed by the expiration date will be "confiscated or forfeited in favor of the government after due process," the law stated.

Individuals unable to renew their license or registration within the five- or ten-year period on two occasions will be perpetually disqualified from applying for any firearm license.

Applications for renewal may be submitted to the firearms and explosives office of the Philippine National Police within six months before the expiration date of the license or registration.

RA 11766 also says permits to carry firearms outside of residence are valid for two years from the date of application approval unless revoked or suspended earlier.

"It shall be the burden of the applicant to prove the actual threat to life by submitting a threat assessment certificate, provided that the appropriate PNP unit shall issue the threat assessment certificate within fifteen (15) days," it read.

The law likewise lists individuals exempted from the threat assessment certificate requirement:

- Philippine Bar members

- Certified public accountants

- Accredited media practitioners

- Cashiers, bank tellers

- Priests, ministers, rabbi, imams

- Physicians and nurses

- Engineers

- Businessmen exposed to high risk of being targets of criminal elements "by the nature of their business or undertaking"

- Elected incumbent and former officials

- Active and retired military and law enforcement personnel

Signed on May 6 but only released to the public on May 17, RA 11766 shall take effect 15 days after its publication on the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.