Bukidnon Rep. Audrey Zubiri calls for tougher gun laws following school shootings
Two recent school shootings in the Philippines underscore the need for stiffer penalties and greater accountability for firearm owners whose negligence enables children to gain access to guns. This was Bukidnon 3rd District Rep. Audrey Kay Zubiri‘s position recently as she mourned the deaths of 5 students in separate school shootings – one in Tacloban City and another in Zamboanga City.
The firearms used in the incidents were reportedly linked to adults, including a police officer and a customs official.
“While I understand the importance of having a gun at home, I cannot understand how it can be so easily accessed by children, especially minors. Hindi ko maimagine mawala ‘yung anak ko na minahal at inalagaan ko ng ilang taon dahil sa kapabayaan ng isang gun-owner,” Zubiri said.
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Klook.com(I cannot imagine losing my child, whom I loved and cared for for years, because of the negligence of a gun owner.)
The neophyte Bukidnon congresswoman said the incidents show the need to look beyond firearm licensing and registration and examine how guns are stored in homes.
“At this moment, I think the burden lies on the parents and not only what the children consume from media anymore. These firearms are becoming more accessible even to children,” Zubiri said.
Republic Act No. 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, requires licensed firearm owners to use a vault, locked container, or other security measures to keep their firearms safe.
Zubiri, however, noted that the law does not provide a clear penalty for improper firearm storage.
“Our schools should be places where children feel safe—not places where they have to fear a firearm that should never have reached them. I call on my fellow legislators to act on this matter—not only to punish wrongdoing, but to prevent tragedies and protect our children before this becomes a trend,” she said.
Zubiri emphasized that stronger safe-storage regulations are not meant to stop responsible citizens from legally owning firearms. Instead, they are intended to reinforce the responsibility and standard of care that come with gun ownership.
