Arming ROTC grads? Very possible, says Lorenzana

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Thursday backed President Rodrigo Duterte's suggestion to mobilize and arm graduates of the Reserve Officers' Training Course (ROTC), saying this is what they have envisioned for the country.

"That is very possible," Lorenzana said when asked if it is possible to arm ROTC graduates if the country's problem with terrorism worsens.

"Other countries do it like Switzerland, Israel," he added. "They have a small standing armed force backed by a huge reserve force that continually train with the active force."

"What we envision in our country is the same."

Lorenzana said each region should have a reserve unit consisting of retired military and ROTC graduates.

"Their cadres will be active military. They will have their Regional HQ with armories where they will keep their individual firearms. They can use these firearms during training," he said.

"If they are used in combat, peacekeeping and HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief), they will have official orders calling them for limited active duty like we did with the Lanao del Norte Reserve Batallion during the Marawi siege," Lorenzana added.

Duterte, during a speech on the launching of the second ARMSCOR Shooting Range in Davao City on Monday, floated the idea of arming ROTC graduates.

He also announced that the Philippines would get 5,000 firearms from a "friendly country" as he vowed to build a strong police and military before he leaves office. —KBK, GMA News