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Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Only 16 M16s for 44 cops in city’s hilly barangays
For the 44 police operatives assigned in detachments in Cebu City’s mountain barangays, there are only 16 Armalite rifles.
Acting Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Director Supt. Melvin Gayotin admitted they lacked long firearms because ideally, each operative should be assigned one.
The CCPO has 12 police detachments spread out among the 28 rural barangays.
Asked how the peace and order was in those areas, Gayotin said there have been no problems with insurgency so far. Most of the problems there were harassment and land disputes.
“However, the latest information is that sightings of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the province have risen. We don’t have to wait until we see them here,” Gayotin told reporters yesterday.
He added that at this stage, it was better to prepare the barangays for the possibility of NPA infiltration.
Gayotin has expressed support for the plan to arm barangay captains with Armalite rifles, provided they are trained properly to handle the high-powered firearm.
In his opinion, the authority of the barangay captain can be “properly imposed” if they are armed with long firearms because they could easily call the attention of strangers who enter the barangay.
He assured that any abuses on the use of the firearm would be met with appropriate charges.
He pointed out that if policemen who abused their power faced disciplinary actions, barangay officials would not be excused.
Barangay captains who do not want the firearm should not be forced to bring them, he added.
“Dili baya lalim ang paggamit ana (Handling this is a huge responsibility),” he said.
Gayotin said the person issued with an M16 should be capable of handling the firearm and keeping it with him without the risk of losing it.
This was after the probability of insurgents planning to raid the barangays to steal the Armalites was raised.
He said that trained military and police personnel are always told to treat the M16 as a lifesaver when faced with a dangerous situation.
Aside from this, Gayotin said the discipline in using the firearm should be incorporated in the training.
Gayotin believes, though, that the legality of the plan should be resolved before Armalites are issued to barangay captains.
This was after Firearms, Explosives, Security Agencies and Guards Supervisory Section (Fesagss) Chief Rey Lyndon Lawas said they could only issue permits to possess an Armalite, but not a permit to carry it outside the residence.
Gayotin said he would not argue with Lawas because he was only expressing his opinion, that he was okay with barangay captains being armed with Armalite rifles.
As for the supply of Armalite rifles in the city, Gayotin said his office does not have a shortage.
It is only in the mountain barangays that they are in need of more long firearms. (MEA)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (June 7, 2006 issue)
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