Question & AnswerQ&A (PNP Memorandum Circular No. 2015-008)
The primary purpose of PNP Memorandum Circular No. 2015-008 is to establish the policies, guidelines, and procedures governing the issuance of Mission or Letter Orders (MOs/LOs) by heads of Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) pursuant to the IRR of RA 10591, to regulate the lawful carrying of firearms by law enforcement personnel during official missions.
The Circular applies to law enforcement agencies, government guard units, member-agencies of the National Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (NALECC), and other law enforcement agencies authorized by the Philippine National Police to issue licenses for firearms possession in accordance with the law.
The maximum validity period of a Mission or Letter Order (MO/LO) is one (1) month.
'Adutya' refers to a task or function that requires the use of a government-issued firearm to ensure its accomplishment; this includes guarding, participation in training, combat, police, intelligence and security operations, and duties in parades and ceremonies.
Government-issued or personally-owned firearms registered in the Firearms Information Management System (FIMS) must be carried only by authorized regular public officers or employees in proper uniform during law enforcement duty or official missions, firearms should be securely holstered, concealed when not in use especially when in civilian clothes, and only firearms specifically described in the MO/LO are to be carried.
Carrying firearms is prohibited in public drinking places, cabarets, public dance halls, places of worship, other commercial and public establishments, public amusement places, and during civic, political, and religious rallies and meetings unless the individual is performing law enforcement duty or an official mission.
No, substitution of firearms previously assigned to one public officer or employee to another is not allowed under the Circular.
The head of the agency is responsible for the timely submission of firearms status and monitoring reports to the Chief, PNP (Attention: C, FEO) on a quarterly, semi-annual, and annual basis.