‘3,000 guns sitting idle at DPS’

Some 3,000 firearms, most of them confiscated over the years by the government for various reasons, are sitting idle at the Department of Public Safety, according to Rep. Ramon Tebuteb, who is pushing for the immediate disposal of the guns.

“We’re talking here of about two truckloads. It’ quite a significant number of firearms which are unused and [are sitting] idle at the DPS armory,” said Tebuteb.

He said these firearms should be claimed or sold back to the owners. If no claimants come out, he said the government should sell them either through auction or a public sale.

“Why keep them there for a long time? To rot? We need to dispose of these firearms. Something must be done,” said the congressman.

Tebuteb had earlier disclosed that DPS had issued gun permits without having the applicants go through the mandatory safety education classes. It was Tebuteb who authored Public Law 14-51, which requires the classes.

Police commissioner Santiago Tudela admitted Wednesday that some 30 firearm permits were indeed issued without making the gun owners undergo the mandatory classes but this was because the course outline and instructional materials have not been completed yet.

He said DPS had to issue permits because “people needed those guns.’

“The department released some of the firearm permits…we cannot continue to hold the firearm permit [applications]. Those people need guns,” he told the media.

“Who needs them? What’s so urgent?” asked Tebuteb yesterday, pointing out that firearms are normally issued for personal and recreational uses only, including hunting.

The CNMI only allows the use of rifles—.410 shotgun and .223 caliber rifle—to non-enforcement personnel.

Hand guns are only permitted for police and enforcement officers.

Tudela said the department will be calling in the concerned permit holders to attend the mandatory classes, beginning this weekend.

He said the gun owners knew that the issuance of permits was based on the condition that they would attend the class “as soon as we are ready to conduct it.”

For Saipan, the class will be held this Saturday at the police academy.

Range master Ambrosio Ogumoro, a National Rifle Association-certified trainer, will conduct the training.

The DPS also scheduled training for gun owners on Tinian and Rota on May 28 and 21, respectively.