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Question
Under Republic Act No. 10591 (Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act), a person is charged with illegal possession of a firearm without license after police seize a disassembled firearm kit consisting of a frame, a barrel, and a slide, but the firing mechanism and ammunition are missing. The exterior resembles a handgun. The Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Board has not yet classified the kit. The defense argues that because the firing mechanism and ammunition are absent, the kit cannot expel a projectile and is not a firearm. The prosecution contends that the statute covers devices that could be configured into a functioning firearm, so possession of the kit falls within the statute’s scope. The language thus raises ambiguity as to whether possession of the kit constitutes possession of a firearm. Apply the Pro Reo Principle to determine whether the accused should be convicted on the firearm charge, or acquitted on that charge, and briefly state any allowable alternatives if applicable.