Senator Erwin Tulfo seeks criminal liability for negligent gun owners

Following two tragic school shootings in Tacloban and Zamboanga City, Senator Erwin Tulfo is pushing to hold firearm owners criminally accountable when their negligence allows minors to access weapons used in violent acts.

Delivering a privilege speech on Wednesday, Aug. 19, Tulfo emphasized the urgent need to overhaul current gun storage and custody laws, particularly when firearms are left accessible to children.

"Two school shootings. Two sets of children. Two sets of families whose lives have been permanently changed," Tulfo said, raising concerns over how many more students must die in schools—spaces that should serve as a safe "second home"—before stronger safety measures are enforced.

He highlighted two recent deadly incidents:

Tacloban City (June 22): A shooting at San Jose National High School left three students dead and several others injured after two minors allegedly brought firearms onto campus. One of the weapons was later traced to a police officer who is the aunt of one of the minor suspects.

Zamboanga City (Aug. 18): A junior high school student brought firearms to school, resulting in the death of one student, injuries to two others, and the death of the suspect. Investigators traced the weapons to the student’s father, an official with the Bureau of Customs.

Tulfo argued that firearm ownership carries a non-negotiable duty to prevent weapons from falling into the hands of children.

"Let us make sure that the next child who encounters a firearm encounters a locked firearm," Tulfo urged. "Let us make sure that every police officer, every customs officer, every soldier, every security personnel, and every private firearm owner understands that a firearm entrusted to them must never become an instrument of tragedy in the hands of a child."

To tackle these security failures, Tulfo introduced three complementary legislative measures:

Proposed Senate Resolution No. 487: Directing an immediate Senate investigation into the Tacloban shooting.

Proposed Senate Resolution No. 607: Calling for a formal inquiry into the Zamboanga City incident.

Senate Bill No. 2411 (Schools Security and Safety Act of 2026): Legislaion designed to fortify school safety protocols and enforce stricter liability for firearm custodians.

"A firearm is a responsibility, Mr. President, not a right without accountability," Tulfo stressed.

-Paraluman News