THE Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) has requested 1,600 policemen from Police Regional Office (PRO)-Western Visayas to augment the BCPO’s existing personnel for the 40th MassKara Festival in October.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Ariel Pico, spokesperson of BCPO, said they already submitted their request to the PRO-Western Visayas for the augmentation of personnel to secure the MassKara Festival.
“We will wait for the approval of the PRO-Western Visayas if they will grant our request because it will depend on the availability of the personnel. The augmentation of personnel is a big help to maintain the peace and order of the festival,” he said.
“We want to ensure not only the peace and order but also the safety of everybody during the festival especially in the festival sites like the Bacolod Government Center, public plaza, Lacson Street and the area of Manokan Country,” he said.
Pico noted the backpacks, ball caps, bladed weapons, and pointed sticks are prohibited at the festival sites as well as those who are wearing more than two t-shirts to avoid untoward incidents during the festival.
BCPO also requested the PRO-Western Visayas to suspend permits to carry firearms outside residence during the 40th MassKara Festival from October 7 to 27.
“We will wait for the approval of PRO-Western Visayas if they will grant our request to implement the gun ban during the festival,” Pico said.
Last week, the City Council approved a resolution urging the BCPO to consider the possibility of not imposing a gun ban during the MassKara Festival.
The resolution was authored by Councilor Al Victor Espino, chairperson of the City Council committee on police matters.
Espino said the chief director of the Philippine National Police (PNP) is mandated by Republic Act No. 10591 to formulate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of the comprehensive law regulating ownership, possession, and carrying of firearms and ammunitions. As such, he is authorized by law to impose gun ban order according to its necessity.
“Every MassKara Festival, the PNP chief director imposes a gun ban order, which prohibits the possession of firearms outside the residence of a person who has a permit to carry such firearms,” he said.
He added the imposition of gun ban order is not necessary during the MassKara Festival because it does not diminish the actual threat or imminent danger on the life of a person permitted by law to carry firearms, and is not a sufficient reason or cause for the deprivation of such privilege. The imposition of gun ban order only restricts those licensed citizen and not those who illegally possess or carry firearms.
In any event, it is easier to tract and apprehend licensed citizens than those who illegally possess or carry loose firearms.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia also earlier said that he already talked with BCPO director Police Colonel Henry Biñas for the implementation of total gun ban in Bacolod and not only in the festival site.
Pico said it’s up to the PRO-Western Visayas if they will grant the BCPO’s request for the implementation of total gun ban during the festival.