MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday reminded firefighters that using a siren is not a license to kill nor destroy property.
“When you are behind a wheel and there is an emergency and you put on the blinker, it’s not a license for you to just drive whatever the space in the streets may be,” Duterte said in a speech at a turnover ceremony of firetrucks in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
“Ang pinakahulugan ng siren is tumabi kayo kay may emergency. You do not have to destroy properties or to kill. Tutal ‘yang siren na ‘yan would put on notice publicly na may emergency,” Duterte added.
(The meaning of siren is for you to step aside because there’s an emergency. You do not have to destroy properties or to kill. The siren would put notice that there is an emergency.)
The President recalled an incident in Davao City where a student was killed due to reckless driving by a firefighter.
“May nangyari sa Davao, may estudyante, tapos itong bumbero akala an emergency is an emergency, even if it would kill your fellowmen, emergency yan… Basta pahirit nalang nang pahirit, nasagasaan. Hindi nya nakita, papano nagovertake. Talagang nagalit ako. Walang karason rason na namatay yung tao,” Duterte said.
(There was an accident in Davao involving a student. One firefighter thought an emergency is an emergency, even if it would kill you fellow men… He drove fast until he crashed. He didn’t see the student because he overtook. I was angry. There was no reason for the person to die.)
The President led the turnover of 51 fire trucks, 20 water tender and three rescue trucks to local government units at an event in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
The new vehicles are meant to boost the disaster response capability of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) nationwide.