The permit to carry firearms of gunholders will be suspended in Manila during the Feast of the Black Nazarene.
Based on the announcement of Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa in a press conference on Thursday, January 5, the suspension of permits to carry firearms in Manila will take effect from Sunday morning to Tuesday morning.
“I would like to announce the suspension of permit to carry firearms in the City of Manila from 8 am, January 8, to 8 am, January 10,” Dela Rosa said.
According to dela Rosa, the suspension will have similar effect as a gun ban, especially during the conduct of elections.
The PNP Chief emphasized that only law enforcement officers who are on duty and in uniform are allowed to bring their firearms while roving or responding to any incident.
In connection to this, dela Rosa has tasked the National Capital Region Police Office to strictly enforce the suspension of permit to carry firearms during the Feast of the Black Nazarene which is expected to gather millions of devotees all over the country.
Earlier, there were sources in the intelligence community who have warned of possible terrorist attacks during the Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9.
The sources told GMA News that the reports of the terror threat came following the tactical interrogation of suspects in the Davao City night market bombing that killed 15 in September, which prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to declare the national state of emergency.
Based on the reports, one suspect had confessed that one of their plans was to attack during the Black Nazarene event, which usually attracts millions of devotees from all parts of the Philippines.
Aside from the confession of the suspect, another indicator was the string of incidents such as the foiled bombing at the US Embassy in Manila and the IED explosion in Hilongos, Leyte.
The report said terror groups consider January 9 as the last stretch of their terrorist efforts, which is dubbed as their “D-Day.”
These groups include members of the Maute group currently being hunted in Metro Manila.
