Arming state prosecutors, village chiefs will do more harm than good – Hontiveros
The proposal to arm state prosecutors and barangay chairpersons would do more harm than good, Senator Risa Hontiveros said on Wednesday.
The opposition senator said she could not support Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra’s call to arm prosecutors amid recent attacks on two prosecutors.
“Hinding-hindi yan solution. Mas gagawin pa rin niyang grabe ang sitwasyon ngayon,” Hontiveros said at Kapihan sa Senado forum.
The opposition senator also opposed President Rodrigo Duterte’s idea to provide barangay captains with guns so they could protect themselves amid the war against drugs and criminality.
“Of course yung barangay captains natin ang chief executive sa antas ng barangay, pati sa usapin ng law and order and public safety, pero hindi ibig sabihin armasan sila,” she said.
“Problema na nga ang proliferation ng small arms and light weapons,” she added.
Hontiveros said she thinks the country should move toward a gunless society, with only the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police are allowed to carry firearms.
“Iyan yung tingin kong mas tamang trajectory ng mga solution at pagbabago para pigilin ang yung karahasan laban man sa ating mga state prosecutors, o asikasuhin yung mga krimen sa antas ng ating barangay,” she said.
