Razon: ‘No shoot to kill order vs RCBC massacre suspects’
By Thea Alberto
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 16:46:00 05/20/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- Philippine National Police Director General Avelino Razon Jr. will not issue a shoot-to-kill order against the robbers who struck at the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. branch in Cabuyao, Laguna and killed 10 persons, because this is against the law.
Razon made the statement in the wake of an earlier one by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales who said he wanted, if only he could, to implement a shoot-to-kill order against the robbers who murdered eight bank employees, a security guard, and a client Friday.
All of the victims were shot in the head.
"Bawal ang order na 'yun [Such an order is prohibited]...that can't be issued because that is already premeditated murder," Razon told reporters during a security inspection at Ortigas, Pasig City.
However, should there be an encounter with the suspects, police can use "necessary force," he added. "If there is resistance [during arrest], we are authorized to use necessary force.”
Police have so far identified only one of the six suspects in the RCBC robbery and killings.
Razon said they are still establishing the identity of the other robbers and the groups they belong to so police can immediately file cases against them.
Meanwhile, Razon said police have also intensified their campaign against loose firearms.
"We should register all the loose firearms...because these are instrumental to crime," he said. "If the firearms are registered, they [gun owners] will have second thoughts [about] using [those] firearms]."
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