SLEx patrolmen say they need guns for defense
PATROLMEN on the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) have asked that they be given firearms after a group of still unidentified men opened fire last week on a patroller and a motorist, killing both and leaving another patroller wounded.
“Patrollers are [front-liners]. How can they protect motorists and themselves if they are unarmed?” a toll way employee said in an interview with the Inquirer.
However, he asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal from management.
The SLEx has 82 patrolmen who are regular employees of Metro Toll Expressway System Inc., (MATES), the operations and management arm of South Luzon Tollways Corp. (SLTC) which oversees the expressway.
They are tasked to man the 30-kilometer expressway, arrest traffic violators and provide initial response to hijacking cases which are later turned over to the police for follow-up operations.
An SLEx patrolman receives a minimum daily wage of P454.
On June 22, SLEx patrolman Lorenzo Amoncio, 30; and motorist Reynaldo Cabalsa were killed when a group of men in car opened fire on them in Calamba City, Laguna.
Another patroller, Dennis Tala, was wounded.
The two patrolmen were issuing a traffic ticket to Cabalsa whom they had flagged down for a violation when they were shot.
“[Amoncio and Tala] could have at least fought back if they were armed,” said another employee who also refused to be identified.
The police said that the two patrolmen were the gunmen’s real targets.
According to another employee, on-duty SLEx patrolmen used to be armed with .45 cal. pistols when the expressway was still under the control of the Philippine National Construction Corp.
He said the gun licenses expired in April last year and had yet to be renewed.
SLTC spokesperson Alma Tuason said MATES had not yet issued a statement on the June 22 shooting.
Policemen assigned to the areas through which the expressway passes through [from Alabang, Muntinlupa City to Calamba City, Laguna] were also reportedly in favor of arming SLEx patrolmen.
