We won’t be seeing gun-slinging priests anytime soon. Or maybe ever.
“Even with the new gun law specifying priests as among the professionals who have certain gun privileges, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is saying priests shouldn’t ever carry guns no matter what the situation,” reports ANC.
The report quoted retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, who said that “according to the Church, the priest symbolizes peace and order and, therefore, should not be seen with a deadly weapon.”
But it’s worth knowing that under the new Republic Act No. 10591 or “The Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition,” the following professionals are permitted to bring their licensed firearms at work without necessarily being “under actual threat:”
1. Members of the Philippine Bar
2. Certified Public Accountants
3. Accredited media practitioners
4. Cashiers or bank tellers
5. Priests, ministers, rabbis, imams
6. Physicians or nurses
7. Engineers
8. Businessmen
These professionals are classified as being constantly exposed to “imminent danger” due to the nature of their work.
RELATED: What you need to know about the new gun law
Photo from MorgueFile
