Allow Municipal Officials to Carry Firearms

Act No. 3016 specifically amends Section 879 of Act No. 2711.
Section 879 is titled as an exception regarding firearms and ammunition used by military and naval forces or by peace officers.
The amended text keeps the exception structure while clarifying who may possess firearms and ammunition for official duties.

Section 879 establishes an exception to an article’s application for certain firearms and ammunition.
The exception applies to firearms and ammunition that are regularly and lawfully issued.
The exception applies when such firearms and ammunition are in the possession of the covered officers and public servants for use in the performance of their official duties.
The exception covers officers, soldiers, sailors, or marines of the United States Army and Navy.
The exception covers the Philippine Constabulary.
The exception covers guards in the employment of the Bureau of Prisons.
The exception covers municipal police.
The exception covers provincial governors, lieutenant governors, provincial treasurers, municipal treasurers, municipal presidents, and guards of provincial prisoners and jails.

Act No. 3016 enables municipal treasurers and municipal presidents to acquire and use firearms and ammunition for official duties by placing them within the Section 879 exception.
The legal condition for the exception remains that the firearms and ammunition must be regularly and lawfully issued.
The legal condition for lawful possession remains that the firearms and ammunition must be held for use in the performance of their official duties.

Section 879 operates as a direct carve-out so that the referenced article does not apply to the covered, lawfully issued firearms and ammunition.
The limitation in Section 879 is tied to lawful issuance and possession for official performance rather than to a separate class of weapons.

Act No. 3016 contains a direct effectivity rule: it takes effect on approval.
Act No. 3016 does not establish any separability or sunset clause.