Eleazar: Anti-crime volunteers considered only as civilians giving info, not as law enforcers

Philippine National Police chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar on Monday clarified that anti-crime volunteers are not employed as law enforcers and are still considered as regular civilians.

Interviewed on Dobol B TV, Eleazar made the statement after the Commission on Human Rights opposed the suggestion of President Rodrigo Duterte to arm these “force multipliers.”

“Magbibigay lang po ng impormasyon. Unang-una, hindi po ito employed law enforcers. Gusto po natin linawin. Siguro nami-misinterpret lang dahil nabanggit na puwede silang magkaroon ng baril’ he said.

(They will only give information. First of all, they are not employed as law enforcers. We want to clarify that. Perhaps it is being misinterpreted just because it was mentioned that they can have guns.)

Eleazar pointed out that civilians are allowed to apply for a license to possess a gun as long as they are qualified based on the law.

On Friday, the PNP launched the Global Coalition of Lingkod Bayan Advocacy Support Groups and Force Multipliers with Duterte as the keynote speaker.

The coalition is composed of civilian organizations which will serve as the police’s partner in its fight against crime and police community relations programs.

In his speech during the event, Duterte called for arming civilian groups to help the police in crime fighting even as he said that authorities should not kill suspects who already surrendered.

“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.

“Don't simply make an arrest tapos wala kang...ikaw ang mamatay (and then you do not have a gun…you will be dead). You are not supposed to die. A criminal is supposed to die,” Duterte added.

The CHR said "the Philippine National Police (PNP) is more than enough," and cited the provision in the 1987 Constitution that the government shall only maintain one national police force.

CHR spokesperson Atty. Jacqueline Ann de Guia pointed out that "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." —KG, GMA News