The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) supports Senate Bill No. (SBN) 2501 or the “Act Penalizing Willful and Indiscriminate Discharge of Firearms,” which seeks tougher penalties against any person for willful and indiscriminate discharge of firearms.

Any firearm-related violence threatens our most fundamental human right — right to life. As gun violence continues to rise, the matter of gun ownership and control is a national concern that needs to be addressed. The government has the obligation to fight actual or foreseeable threats to life and should therefore take measures to protect people from gun violence, even from its own agents and officials.

Firearms are not mere playthings and should only be used as a last resort. Numerous instances in the past have shown how falling bullets fired during celebratory gunfire have injured and even killed innocent individuals. Thus, the passage of SBN 2501 is a welcome legislative measure, together with continuing firearm safety education to help protect the fundamental rights of the Filipino people by deterring the number of incidents involving reckless and indiscriminate use of firearms.