Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 28) – A leader of an advocacy group on Monday said that President Rodrigo Duterte’s proposal to arm civilians to help in crime prevention is like an insult to the police.
“Parang iniinsulto ang sarili mong kapulisan na may kakulangan sila kaya kailangan sibilyan ang bigyan mo ng karapatan na mag-armas,” said Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order founder Teresita Ang See in an interview with CNN Philippines.
[Translation: It’s like insulting your own police force for some shortcomings so that you have to give civilians the right to carry guns.]
Duterte last week called for the arming of civilian groups to help the police in the fight against crime. Philippine National Police chief General Guillermo Eleazar backed the proposal, saying only those who will qualify under the law may be permitted to own and possess firearms.
Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque noted on Monday that there is no policy yet on Duterte’s proposal.
For her part, Ang See added that arming civilians could also lead to a bigger problem as it will be hard to monitor them. She pointed out that PNP is already having a difficult time in looking after its personnel.
“Hindi nga nila ma-disiplina ang sarili nilang kapulisan….ilan ang mga nasawi dahil sa mga indiscriminate firing? Di ba during new year, nakakatawa na kailangan pang tape-an yung baril ng mga pulis. Di ba nagpapakita ‘yan na walang disiplina ang iyong mga pulis?” she said.
[Translation: They can’t even discipline their own personnel…how many have died due to indiscriminate firing? Every New Year’s celebration, cops have to tape their guns. It only shows how that our police are not disciplined.]
“Kung sila nga di mo magawan ng paraan na gawin nila ang kailangan nilang gawin, paano pa kaya yung mga sibilyan na hindi mo nakikita araw-araw,” added Ang See.
[Translation: If you can’t even push them to do what they should do, how much more are the civilians you don’t even see every day.]
