MANILA (AFP) - Standing amid an array of foreign assault ri?es and local shotguns at one of the country's largest shopping malls, celebrated the rise of the nation's new president.
Benigno Aquino III, who took office on June 30, is an avid sports shooter and clips on YouTube show him using a semi-automatic pistol with great skill at a target shooting competition.
"The feeling is that he is one of us. He also inhales gunpowder,'' said Johnmuel Mendoza, head of PRO-Gun, the country's largest firearms-rights group, at the twice-yearly gun show at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong.
Indeed Aquino, the Supreme Court chief justice and other influential figures have been frequent visitors to the shows in recent years, Mendoza said.
And in the gun-crazy country, having a ?rearms exhibition alongside shops selling perfume, designer clothes and frozen yoghurt appears remarkably normal.
Women carrying infants and schoolchildren attended last month's show, not necessarily to buy guns but just to marvel at the weapons as if they were browsing through the mall's more conventional retail outlets.
''It's Rambo's gun,'' said one boy, looking at a machine-gun on display.
''Stupid, that's from World War II,'' his classmate replied.
Among the highlights of the show were the various companies offering shoulder bags, belt packs and photographer's vests that were all designed to conceal a handgun.
''Just one pull on the strap and you can have your gun out in the blink of an eye,'' said a salesman demonstrating a quick-draw from the holster cunningly concealed inside a shoulder bag.
Despite the ominous brand-name ''Assassin'', the salesman denied the bag was designed with malicious intent.
''This was made to comply with police requirements,'' he explained, citing new rules banning people from carrying guns openly.
Experts gave lectures on legal aspects of gun ownership, sports shooting and how to maintain a ?rearm, while a fashion show featured models showing off catchy new holster designs.
The stalls that got the most attention displayed exotic military hardware, even though ordinary citizens are not allowed to own such weapons.
People lined up to have their photos taken cradling a Tavor assault ri?e or taking aim with a Remington sniper ri?e.
''It's like a car show where you go to see a Mercedes Benz or a Porsche. You can't buy these cars but you can get inside, try it out. That is how it is at the gun-show,'' said lawyer and gun enthusiast Ernesto Tabujara.
During his visit, Tabujara got a chance to handle both the Israeli Tavor and the Swiss-designed SIG 556 rifle.
''If I could choose, I would prefer the Tavor. The SIG has the set-up of a basic M-16 ri?e but the Tavor has more exotic looks and has very good quality,'' he said.
In the Philippines, anyone can get a license to own a conventional gun, subject to a police clearance and other security checks.
The law allows people to carry guns outside their homes if they can prove to police they may need to use it in self-defense.
There are about 1.3 million licensed firearms in the Philippines, with 600,000 in the hands of private citizens and the rest held by the military, police and other law-enforcement agencies, according to police estimates.
