In light of the recent amendments to the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (RIRR) of Republic Act No. 10591, the Philippine National Police (PNP), through its Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) of the Civil Security Group (CSG), activated a Technical Working Group (TWG) tasked with formulating a comprehensive Memorandum Circular (MC). This MC establishes the guidelines and procedures for the acquisition and registration of rifles, categorized as small arms, including the regulated sale of ammunition and cartridges to licensed citizens.
Historically, the 2018 RIRR limited rifle acquisition only to licensed sports shooters. However, the 2024 amendment expanded eligibility, allowing any licensed citizen to acquire and register rifles classified as small arms. In response, Police General Rommel Francisco D. Marbil, Chief of the Philippine National Police, issued a memorandum on May 7, 2024, introducing initial control measures to regulate this expanded access. To effectively implement these changes and ensure safe, legal acquisition and use of rifles, the TWG was convened to craft the necessary procedural framework.
After thorough consultation with stakeholders, coordination with relevant PNP units, and legal referencing to Republic Act Numbers 10591, 11766, and 11032, the TWG finalized the Memorandum Circular, which was formally endorsed through Resolution No. 2024-01 to the PNP Chief and was approved on March 21, 2025.
The purpose of the said MC is to ensure that only qualified, licensed individuals can own and use rifles, while placing safeguards against misuse. It provides strict protocols on acquisition through purchase, donation, or transfer; mandates ballistic identification procedures; and restricts ammunition sales to commercial-grade ball cartridges with quantity limits. It also specifically prohibits the distribution of combat or service-grade cartridges to civilians.
Under the MC, licensed dealers and manufacturers must ensure all rifles undergo classification by the FEO Classification Board before distribution. Only rifles with specific calibers and configurations (excluding sniper rifles and automatic weapons) may be acquired by citizens, subject to a one-rifle-per-caliber rule unless further justified through a formal request and security clearance.
Additionally, the MC outlines the roles of various PNP units in implementing the circular—from the FEO’s administrative oversight, and ballistic testing by the Forensic Group to the Directorate of Intelligence’s background checks.
For firearms currently held at the Storage Section (SS), Firearms Licensing Division (FLD), FEO, transitory provisions are allowed for reclassification. If identified as small arms, these may be sold or distributed to licensed citizens; otherwise, they must be turned over to the proper authorities or transferred to eligible government entities.
The Memorandum Circular shall take effect 15 days after its filing with the UP Law Center, in accordance with the Revised Administrative Code of 1987.
This policy development is a proactive step by the Nation’s Peacekeeper in upholding the law, ensuring responsible gun ownership, and balancing public safety with citizen rights.
