MANILA, Philippines -- Civilian volunteers assisting with the rehabilitation of communities in Mindanao cannot bear firearms, the spokesman of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Friday.

At a press conference, Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome said Director General Avelino Razon Jr. issued the directive following reports that civilian volunteers were arming themselves as protection against possible attacks from Moro rebels.

“There is a strict directive not to allow civilians to arm themselves,” he said, stressing that the volunteers, who are organized either by local government units or the affected communities, are only tasked to do “rehabilitation work” and deliver relief to evacuees.

At the same time, Bartolme said, the organization and arming of police auxiliary units will be given “less priority” than 1,000 police recruits currently undergoing training at the different police regional offices in Mindanao.

At the height of attacks on civilian communities by Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels last month, Razon had said that 1,000 shotguns would be shipped to arm police auxiliaries and, if the experiment worked, as many as 12,000 auxiliaries, basically civilian volunteers who would be given training, would be armed.

Meanwhile, Bartolome said the PNP will strictly respect the observance of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan with operations to be confined only to areas where MILF commanders Ameril Ombra Kato and Abdullah Macapaar have been sighted or are known to operate.

“As far as the Ramadan is concerned, we do not intend to disturb [the celebration]. We are only responding to key areas in Mindanao where Kato and Bravo are reportedly hiding,” he said.

The two rebel commanders are accused of leading attacks on civilian communities in North Cotabato and Lanao del Norte provinces last month.