President Rodrigo Duterte's call to arm civilians to help the police in fighting crime is "not a policy yet," Malacanang said Monday—while creating ripples of opposition from various sectors.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said while Duterte was “open” to the idea of arming anti-crime volunteers, there was a need to undergo the process of completed staff work.
"Well, as you said, he is open to the idea but there is no finality yet," Roque said.
Roque was referring to President Duterte’s remarks last week during the launch of the Global Coalition of Lingkod Bayan Advocacy Support Groups and Force Multipliers in Camp Crame, where the Chief Executive proposed arming the civilians to fight criminality in the country.
"If you have this coalition, you have a list of people who are there who can arm themselves. I will order the police if you are qualified, get a gun, and help us enforce the laws,” Duterte said.
“The coalition consists of civilian organizations which will serve as the police’s partner in its fight against crime and police community relations programs,” the President said.
On the other hand, Roque shared the view with Philippine National Police chief Guillermo Eleazar that the proposal to arm volunteer groups was to ensure their own protection and to defend themselves against criminal elements.
“Maybe the best view expressed so far is the view of PNP Chief Eleazar which I share, and that is we need to understand that volunteer groups have the right to defend themselves in the face of danger," Roque said.
"We cannot allow our volunteers to be at the mercy of criminal elements and we encourage them to fight with us," Roque said.
In response, lawyer Jacqueline Ann de Guia, Commission on Human Rights spokesperson, said "arming civilians without proper training, qualification, and clear lines of accountabilities may lead to lawlessness and proliferation of arms that may further negatively impact on human rights situation in the country."
Eleazar, however, assured that the President’s suggestion was to "encourage volunteerism and definitely not vigilantism."
Eleazar also said Duterte’s recommendation aimed to protect the civilian volunteers against the criminal elements, including members of the New People’s Army — the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines that is listed as terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
Eleazar said the rules and procedures include securing License to Own and Possess Firearms which is a requirement before a civilian could buy a firearm, secure firearms license, and the Permit to Carry Firearms Outside Residence.
If civilians are allowed to possess and carry firearms for as long as they comply with the rules and regulations of the law and are qualified to do so, Eleazar said there is no reason to prevent members of civilian volunteer groups from enjoying the same privilege.
In related developments, the Volunteers against Crime and Corruption called for a close monitoring of gun ownership following the suggestion of Duterte to arm anti-crime civilian volunteers.
Interviewed on Dobol B TV, VACC spokesperson Arsenio Evangelista said it was possible that some civilians would use the weapon for different purposes.
Evangelista said: “Gun ownership sometimes is a strong tool, but it is scary too because it can be used for other purposes. That’s why they really have to closely monitor it.”
Evangelista said Duterte’s statement might be misunderstood, saying the group was concerned about anti-crime volunteers failing to observe the rules of engagement.
Eleazar clarified that anti-crime volunteers were not employed as law enforcers and were still considered as regular civilians.
He underscored that the force multipliers would only give information helpful to the anti-crime efforts.
He pointed out that civilians, even those who are not part of the anti-crime effort of the government, were allowed to apply for a license to possess a gun as long as they were qualified under the law.
But several senators had differing views on whether or not citizens should be allowed to carry their own firearms to help in the government's anti-crime drive.
Duterte's proposal may lead to a new policy that would "ease up on the licensing of firearms," Senate President Vicente Sotto told reporters in a text message.
"Well, then we need to amend the law. An EO (executive order) won't do it," he said.
Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa, who served as PNP chief before being elected to the Senate, said he saw "no problem as long as they are properly supervised."
"It would be a big help to the government to have additional manpower to maintain peace and order at no additional cost to the government," said dela Rosa, an ally of Duterte.
Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III blasted the proposal, saying "rules on gun ownership must be made stricter."
"The laws against unlicensed firearms must be strictly enforced," he said.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said the Senate minority bloc would oppose the proposal should it be tackled in the chamber.
"More guns do not make a country safe. More guns will not solve poverty and hunger. More guns will not bring back lost jobs. More guns will not bring back investor's confidence," Drilon said in a statement.
Drilon, who was Senate President four times, said the proposal was definitely “not the solution to rising criminality.”
“We will oppose it. Given the Senate’s strong opposition to the proposal to arm firefighters, I don’t see the Senate will support the proposal to arm civilian organization” said Drilon.
He noted the proposal was an admission that the government was failing in its duty to provide security and protection to Filipinos.
He said it would serve to create the impression that the government was incapable of protecting the safety and welfare of Filipinos.
In 2017, Duterte gave the same pronouncement in Bohol, after Abu Sayyaf terrorists were seen on the island.
In the House, Assistant Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro assailed the proposal, saying "this proposal will only allow more crimes to happen instead of preventing (sic) it."
"We are still in a pandemic, millions of people are still unemployed, the vaccine roll-out is still at a slow pace and mass testing and contact tracing is still inefficient.
"We need vaccines, not guns. The people are demanding for adequate medical solutions, not more militaristic policies that only lead to more human rights violations against the Filipino people," added Castro.
Meanwhile, the Anakpawis Party-list on Monday joined the broadening opposition to the proposal and slammed it as "a madman's idea," all in the context of setting up a warlord rule across the country.
Ariel Casilao, Anakpawis Party-list national president and former representative, said in a statement: "This latest insane idea coming from a tyrant who is being investigated by the ICC for crimes against humanity should be broadly opposed.
“As we are already in a dire condition where the people's basic rights, rule of law and due process, are already systematically abused by the existing armed forces units. Crime prevention is not even the major concern of the people at this present time of the pandemic.
“The poor sectors are screaming for relief aid, but Duterte with his iconic 'palpak' rule, comes with this out-of-this-world idea."