Illustration by Ed Lustan / INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police will not issue guns to anti-crime volunteers, Police chief Guillermo Eleazar said Monday.
“Wala kaming i-issue na baril. Kung sila ay gusto magkabaril at qualified sila, bibili sila ng baril nila,” he said in a press conference.
(We will not issue guns. If they want to have one, they should buy their own.)
Eleazar explained that the anti-crime volunteers will undergo the usual process for any civilians wanting to have their own firearms. He said they are required to secure License to Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF), a requirement for civilians before they could buy firearms, firearms license, and the Permit to Carry Firearms Outside Residence (PTCFOR).
“Ito ay walang pagkakaiba sa mga gun enthusiast na dumadaan sa prosesong ito,” he noted.
(This is no different from the process gun enthusiasts go through before getting their weapons.)
He also pointed out that the anti-crime groups are not tasked to enforce the law and conduct arrests, but only to watch and observe.
“Nandoon sila para mag-matyag, alamin ang nangyayari sa kapaligiran na walang pinagkaiba sa lagi namin sinasabi na dapat gawin ng bawat isang mamamayan natin,” he said.
(They are there to observe the surroundings, which is no different from what we remind each and every citizen.)
“Pero ito kasi ay volunteerism, they are identifying themselves na nagvo-volunteer sila na maging bahagi ng isang grupo, na tumutulong sa ating pamahalaan, yan ang gusto nating i-encourage.”
(This is volunteerism. They are identifying themselves to volunteer to be a part of a group, to help the government, we want to encourage that.)
“Not necessarily na sila ay lalabas at maghahanap ng huhulihin,” he said.
“While it is true that there is citizen arrest, provided by the law, subject to limitation nila, pero hindi naman natin ine-encourage na ganoon ang gawin nila kung magreresulta sa kanilang kapahamakan, (but we do not encourage them to do that as it may result to danger)” Eleazar added.
President Rodrigo Duterte floated the idea during the launch of the Global Coalition of Lingkod Bayan Advocacy Support Groups and Force Multipliers, which is a coalition of civilian organizations to serve as police’s partner in its fight against crime.
The idea went through a firestorm of criticism from the Commission on Human Rights and lawmakers.