Arming volunteers may increase gun deaths, illegal firearms —group

Giving firearms to civilian volunteers may increase incidents of unlawful gun ownership as well as deaths due to firearms in the Philippines, a group aspiring for a gun-free society said Monday.

At a Philippine National Police event, President Rodrigo Duterte proposed to provide guns to force multipliers to support law enforcers in combating crime in the streets. 

Norman Cabrera, secretary general of the Gunless Society of the Philippines, said that this could worsen killings using firearms.

"Habang pinapalawig natin ang pagkakaroon ng baril dito sa Pilipinas, lalong lalala ang patayan gamit ng armas. In fact, ang sinusunod nating polisiya ngayon, yung kultura sa Amerika at nakikita natin kung ano ang resulta nito," Cabrera said during an interview with Balitanghali.

(While we are allowing guns in the Philippines, killings due to firearms will worsen. In fact, our policies now, if we compare it, it is like the culture in America and we can see the results.)

Cabrera also said arming civilians could increase incidents of illegal gun ownership.

"Yes, dadami ang illegal firearms. Hindi natin matatanggi even sa kapulisan, or maybe sa military, may illegal firearms diyan. Laging nababalitaan na halimbawa kung mayroong isang raid, may nakuhang baril, sometimes hindi si-nu-surrender lahat ng nanalo kundi tinatago lang," Cabrera said.

(Illegal firearm incidents will increase. We cannot deny that even police or maybe military, there are illegal firearms there. For instance, if there is a raid and guns were seized, some will not surrender the evidence instead they will keep it.)

He also claimed that there are "very few Filipinos who have been given licenses to carry firearms" in the country.

In an earlier interview, PNP chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar said that anti-crime volunteers would not be employed as law enforcers amid the suggestion to give them guns to help deter crime.

The country's police chief added that civilians are allowed to apply for a license to possess a gun as long as they are qualified based on the law. — Consuelo Marquez/BM, GMA News