Sale of fake guns on the rise despite ‘crackdown’

Located along the bustling Rizal Avenue in Manila, just right beside the famed Quiapo Church, is a toy shop for big boys and small boys alike.

Sold in makeshift stalls alongside stores of fake appliances, Christmas lights and pirated pornographic DVDs on this alley are guns. These ammunition, although capable only of shooting plastic bullets and pellets, look so genuine one would not be able to tell its difference if placed side by side with a real gun. These imitation weapons, vendors say, are a hit to both kids and grown-ups. “Mukha kasi talagang totoo kahit laruan lang. Matibay pa. (They look so real, although they are just toys. These guns are also very durable)," said one of the vendors in the area, who refused to give his name. Another vendor, who eagerly pulled out fake metal guns from a box she hides under a rack with an assortment of dolls and Christmas tree decorations on it, said buyers are specially interested in these imitation weapons during the months of November and December. She even boasted of selling a metal gun or two these days, with Christmas fast approaching. “Mabenta talaga dahil ito ang uso ngayon, lalo na at magpa-Pasko. Panregalo sa mga inaanak na lalaki (These guns really sell, especially as gifts for little boys during Christmas)," she said. The vendors said the prices of the imitation guns they sell range from P130 to as high as P6500. The cheapest imitation guns are the ordinary plastic pellet handguns usually bought by teens for leisure purposes. The most expensive ones are fake metal armalites of about a meter long. Also being sold on this avenue are Airsoft guns, highly detailed firearm replicas that are commonly purchased by hobbyists, collectors and gamers. Under Circular No. 11 of the Philippine National Police, sellers and buyers of this type of these guns need to apply for licenses. But vendors here care more about the money they will earn from the sale of these products than complying with police policies. “Basta binebenta namin. Kapag nabili na, sila na ang bahala (We just sell these guns. Once sold, it is all up to the buyer on what he will do with the fake weapon)," another vendor said. These guns being sold on this place, however, are not only for child’s play. Looking very much like the real ones, these replica firearms, specifically the metal ones, are actually being used for criminal activities, such as robberies and kidnapping. Just last month, elements of the notorious Alvin Flores Gang robbed a posh watch store inside Greenbelt 5 mall in Makati. Police investigation should one of the members of the gang carried a toy replica of a grenade launcher during the incident. The continued use of gun replicas in criminal activities in the country seems strange, considering the import, sale and even the display of toy firearms and explosives in the country have been outlawed 27 years ago by the late President Ferdinand Marcos through Letter of Instructions 1264. Even the PNP admitted that until now, replica guns remain to be favorite toys among robbers, thieves and kidnapping groups in the country, due to these fake weapons’ accessibility. “Many criminals really use fake guns because they are cheaper and more accessible compared to real ones," said Chief Superintendent Ireno Bacolod of the PNP Civil Security Group. Bacolod’s unit has the chief responsibility in enforcing laws on firearms, ammunitions and explosives in the country. Under it are two subordinate offices—the Firearms and Explosives Division (FED), in charge of issuing firearms licenses, and the Security Agencies and Guards Supervision Division, which oversees the operation of security agencies. Although his unit is primarily in charge of making sure that gun replicas stay out of the marketplace and of criminals’ hands, Bacolod admitted that it is not easy determining fake guns from real ones with just a glance. “Kahit nga pulis hindi malalaman kung totoo ang baril kung titingnan lang. Dapat talaga hawakan. Ang difference kasi ng fake sa totoo, mas magaan at may ibang parts na hindi movable," he said. Nevertheless, the PNP, prompted by the Greenbelt 5 robbery last October, has vowed to intensify their “crackdown" against gun replicas, especially now that Christmas is approaching “There is already a directive to all police stations to intensify the crackdown on these fake weapons not only in establishments but also on the streets," Bacolod said. Bacolod added that the PNP has already confiscated sacks of these gun replicas even areas outside Metro Manila, such as Cebu and Bacolod City. He, however, could not give estimates as to the number of fake guns that police have already seized, since confiscated replicas are yet to be endorsed to the PNP-CSG. “We have confiscated a lot of these, especially now that Christmas is approaching. As far as I know, we have already confiscated more replica guns than illegal real guns at this point," he added. He likewise said that the PNP has ordered the turnover of all seized fake ammunitions to Camp Crame in Quezon City. Here, the items will be subjected to an inventory by the PNP’s Supply Accountable Officer and eventually destroyed before the year ends. Despite the PNP’s efforts against the sale and display of gun replicas all over the country, Bacolod said only a more stringent legislation banning these items can totally wipe out these fake ammunitions from the market. At present, the penalty for possession of gun replicas in the country is just mere confiscation of the banned item. “Sa normal, confiscation lang ang parusa. Wala nang ibang penalty dahil daw hindi naman nakakamatay ang gun replicas," he said. (Normally, the only penalty for the having these fake firearms is just confiscation of the item. No other penalties are given simply because these gun replicas cannot possibly kill people.) Bacolod suggested that gun replicas be included in House Bill 6676, a measure calling for stiffer penalties for crimes related to firearms and light weapons. The bill has already passed Congress on third and final reading last October. “Dapat talaga magkaroon ng ngipin ang batas tungkol dito. Kasi kapag tinutukan ka ba ng baril, malalaman mo pa kung totoo o hindi?" he said. (The law should really have teeth regarding these fake firearms. If someone points a gun at you, would you still be able to determine if his gun is real or not?) - GMANews.TV