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[ LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS NO. 1280, December 01, 1982 ]
| TO : | The Minister of National Defense The Minister of Finance The Minister of Trade and Industry The Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines The Chief of Constabulary/Director General, Integrated National Police The Director General, NISA The Director, National Bureau of Investigation |
| SUBJECT : | Regulating the Importation/Manufacture, Sale and Possession of Telescopic Sights, Sniperscopes and other Similar Devices |
WHEREAS, telescopic sights, sniperscopes and similar devices are being imported and sold to the public indiscriminately by numerous business establishments throughout the country and, based on intelligence reports , are being used by insurgent/subversive groups and criminal elements in the pursuit of unlawful activities.
WHEREAS, while telescopic sights, sniperscopes and other similar devices are, per se, not instruments of violence, they greatly increase the effectiveness of fire-arms as a tool of violence.
WHEREAS, in the interest of public safety and national security there is an imperative need to regulate the importation/manufacture, sale and possession of the aforementioned devices such that they shall be possessed only by authorized law enforcement personnel and law abiding individuals.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, do hereby order and direct the following:
SECTION 1. Henceforth, except as allowable by law and rules and regulations, the importation/manufacture, sale and possession of telescopic sights, sniperscopes and similar devices are prohibited.
SECTION 2. Persons, entities and establishments which at the time of the promulgation of this Letter of Instructions are importing/manufacturing or selling or have in their possession telescopic sights, sniperscopes and similar devices shall have six (6) months, from the date of the latest press release of the contents of this Letter of Instructions in at least three (3) newspapers of general circulation, within which to secure permits for the lawful importations/manufacture, sale of possession of the aforesaid devices.
SECTION 3. The Chief of Constabulary/Director General, Integrated National Police or his duly authorized representative shall issue the necessary permit in accordance with Section 2 of these instructions.
SECTION 4. The Philippine Constabulary/Integrated National Police or any other law enforcement agency, subject to the condition set in Section 2 hereof, is directed to confiscate any telescopic sights, sniperscopes or similar devices, the importation/manufacture, sale and possession of which are not covered by a permit issued by the Chief of Constabulary/Director General, Integrated National Police or his duly authorized representative.
SECTION 5. The Ministers of National Defense; Finance; and Trade and Industry shall issue necessary rules and regulations to implement these instructions.
Strict compliance herewith is enjoined.
DONE in the City of Manila, this 1st day of December, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Two.
SOURCE: CD ASIA