We’ll sleep better knowing that incoming Philippine National Police (PNP) head Chief Supt. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa has rejected a proposal to arm barangay or village security officers or barangay tanods.
Dela Rosa was quoted as saying: “This will only lead to abuse. I am just being honest that there are some abusive barangay tanods and even barangay captains. In some cases, barangay tanods would end up as private armies of barangay captains so this is really a very dangerous proposal.”
“Dela Rosa explained that it takes a lot of training among other procedures before a policeman for instance, or even a civilian, is given the privilege of owning a firearm,” reports Aaron B. Recuenco in Manila Bulletin.
He explained, “If some policemen who go through a year of training and schooling are abusive, what more if the same privilege is given to people without any training to handle firearms.”
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