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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 3) The government will not shell out money to purchase firearms for civilian groups, the chief of the Philippine National Police said Saturday as he defended President Rodrigo Duterte s call encouraging civilians to join law enforcers in fighting crime. Hindi namin sila bibilhan ng baril (We will not buy them guns), PNP Chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said in a virtual briefing.
Eleazar said he sees nothing wrong with Duterte s proposal to arm civilians so they could defend themselves while helping in the administration s anti-crime campaign, as they have the right to acquire their own firearms just like businessmen, members of the press, politicians, and gun enthusiasts.
Published June 27, 2021 12:15pm
PNP chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar (File photo) Philippines top cop Police General Guillermo Eleazar on Sunday assured the Commission on Human Rights that arming anti-crime civilian volunteers as suggested by President Rodrigo Duterte is solely for their protection. In a statement, Eleazar acknowledged the CHR s concern saying, “We understand the concern . but we assure them that the President’s suggestion is to encourage volunteerism and definitely not vigilantism.” On Saturday, the CHR expressed opposition to the President’s proposal, saying that the Philippine National Police (PNP) is more than enough, and cited the provision in the 1987 Constitution that the government shall only maintain one national police force.
Published June 27, 2021, 3:09 PM
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is open to the idea of arming anti-crime civilian volunteers but the firearms should only be to defend themselves and not on hunting down criminal elements that include communist rebels.
PNP Chief Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo T Eleazar explained that anti-crime civilian volunteers should not be left at the mercy of the criminal elements they were encouraged to fight and one of the ways to protect themselves is to own guns.
The idea was floated by President Duterte but was criticized by the Commission on Human Rights. The CHR pointed out that there is no need to arm civilian groups, saying that the PNP is the sole constitutionally-recognized law enforcement arm of the government and that the PNP is “more than enough.”
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Published December 21, 2020 11:33am The Philippine National Police (PNP) should use the full extent of the law in bringing justice to the victims of the shooting perpetrated by a policeman in Tarlac, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Monday. If what s on video tells the whole story, I enjoin the Philippine National Police leadership to show no mercy. They should spare no effort to make sure that he rots in jail. He s the last policeman that they need in the force, Lacson, a former PNP chief, said in a statement. Following the incident, Lacson recommended that all police officers should turn in their issued firearms to their unit s armorer when they are off-duty.