POLICE authorities in Cebu province and Cebu City admitted that they were saddened by a series of shooting incidents inside school campuses in which the firearms allegedly used by the suspects were owned by law enforcement personnel.
In the Tacloban case, it was confirmed that the firearm used belonged to a police officer who was the aunt of the student suspect. Meanwhile, in the Zamboanga incident, the firearm belonged to the suspect’s father, who is a Bureau of Customs official.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Jose Rovic Villarin, deputy provincial director for operations of the Cebu Police Provincial Office, said that following the incidents, their chief, Police Colonel Abubakar Mangelen Jr., immediately ordered stricter inspection and accounting of firearms issued to police personnel.
All municipal and city police stations have been ordered to conduct personnel accounting every morning and ensure that all firearms issued to their personnel by the Philippine National Police are properly accounted for.
Police officers whose issued firearms are not in their possession could face administrative charges.
“It really saddened us that the firearm of our colleague was used, so after that, we strictly directed all the COPs (chiefs of police) that during the daily accounting in the morning, we see to it that the firearm, the issued firearm of the police, will be included in the inspection,” Villarin said.
Villarin acknowledged that some police officers' children may know how to use firearms after being taught by their parents.
However, he said this requires proper guidance to ensure that children do not take or handle the firearms.
Police personnel were also reminded not to leave their firearms in places where children could easily access them, as this could endanger themselves and other people.
Meanwhile, in Cebu City, Police Lieutenant Colonel Franco Rodulf Oriol, deputy city director for administration of the Cebu City Police Office, said all their personnel had been instructed to keep their firearms in proper storage.
This is to prevent other people, including their children, from accessing or taking the firearms. (AYB)
