Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla is calling for amendments to the country’s firearms law to hold registered gun owners criminally liable when their weapons are negligently made accessible to minors and later used in crimes.
Remulla made the call Wednesday following Tuesday’s fatal shooting at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University Junior High School campus in Zamboanga City.
Speaking at a press briefing in Camp Crame, Remulla said lawmakers should amend Republic Act 11766, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, which is also known as the “Robin Padilla Law.”
He criticized provisions that reduced the penalties for possession of loose firearms when the weapons were not directly used in the commission of a crime.
“The Robin Padilla Law, which extinguished culpability and made it a bailable offense, has led to a surge in crimes precisely because loose firearms is a bailable offense,” Remulla said.
The shooting involved a Grade 8 student, who also died by suicide. The reported victims included a Grade 10 student who was killed and two other students who were injured.
Remulla said the firearm used in the attack was government-issued and belonged to the student’s father, who works for the Bureau of Customs.
He said the incident raised questions about the responsibility of firearm owners when their weapons become accessible to minors.
“Once again, it involves students. Once again, it involves firearms. Once again, we are confronted with the question of what more we can do as a country,” Remulla said.
The interior secretary said obtaining a firearm license should not be the end of an owner’s responsibility. He called for stronger gun-safety training and stricter measures to ensure firearms are properly stored and kept away from unauthorized users.
Remulla also questioned whether registered owners should face liability when their firearms are used by minors to commit crimes.
“Isn’t the owner of the gun equally responsible?” he said.
He also called for penalties against firearm owners who fail to properly maintain and secure their weapons.
Remulla flags online gaming
Remulla also raised concerns about the possible influence of online gaming communities on young people following the Zamboanga shooting.
He specifically mentioned Roblox, saying the platform itself was not inherently dangerous but that some group chats on the platform allegedly promote violent behavior among young users.
Remulla called on Congress to consider legislation addressing first-person shooting games that he said may influence young people.
The secretary said stronger firearm accountability should be combined with measures addressing other factors that could contribute to violence among children and adolescents.
Photo courtesy of Inquirer.net
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