Thursday, March 20, 2008
More than just sticks, prayers
CEBU City Association of Barangay Councils president Eugenio Faelnar has asked the Police Coordinating and Advisory Council (PCAC), through Vice Mayor Michael Rama, to support the crafting of a measure allowing tanods to carry firearms.
The clamor had long been made by barangay captains, who complained that while tanods are usually the first ones to respond to calls for help in their communities, all they have for protection are nightsticks and prayers.
“I understand that the barangay tanods must do their job, but it doesn’t mean that the presence of unarmed tanods can (already) stop...cold-blooded criminals,” Faelnar said in a letter dated March 17.
The Guadalupe barangay captain represents the leaders of Cebu City’s 80 barangays.
Faelnar said that in almost all instances, when a crime is committed, the perpetrator is armed either with a knife or a gun.
Stand
“Instead of being there to rescue the victims and/or apprehend the perpetrators, the tanod (ends up) being shot and/or stabbed,” he said.
Faelnar said the PCAC, the highest policy-making body of the Cebu City police, should come up with a stand arguing for the arming of barangay tanods instead of blaming which agency should be held responsible for the people’s safety.
“We must avoid grandstanding by blaming and pointing fingers. It cannot bring back the lives of innocent victims,” he said.
In an interview, he said criminal elements nowadays are more aggressive and do not have qualms about killing anybody.
Incident
He cited as example an incident three weeks ago when three men allegedly robbed a pregnant woman in his barangay.
Faelnar said the tanods managed to corner the robbers, who wore ski masks over their heads, but had to run for safety after the men drew out their guns.
“They sought cover and waited for police to arrive. By then it was too late,” he said.
He said he dislikes guns, but has to bring one every time he leads the tanods on roving patrols.
He said nobody could blame the tanods if they surreptitiously bring guns and run the risk of being arrested because they do not have permits to carry them outside their homes.
“They could at least be issued mission orders so if the tanods end up shooting someone, all they have to worry about is the actual shooting, and not the added burden of an illegal possession of firearm charge,” he said in Cebuano. (RHM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (March 20, 2008 issue)
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