Strict gun rules set in Philippines

Strict gun rules set in Philippines

MANILA (AFP): The Philippine interior secretary, Alfredo Lim,
has ordered a crackdown on owners of unlicensed guns, including
the bodyguards of politicians, after a presidential order to
check the proliferation of weapons.

Bodyguards are a common sight in rural areas where they freely
wield unlicensed assault rifles in public. In some cases, the
bodyguards act as private armies for the politicians.

The Department of the Interior issued a statement on Friday
ordering local officials to intensify the drive against illegal
firearms and the carrying of weapons in public.

In a television interview on Friday, national police chief
Panfilo Lacson said the rules against carrying unlicensed
firearms had been on the books for a long time but "it's only now
that the requirements are being fully implemented".