Bacolod Liga prexy bucks Du30 plan to arm ‘kaps’

BACOLOD City – Outgoing Liga ng mga Barangay president Noli Villarosa opposed President Rodrigo Duterte’s plan to arm village chiefs with firearms to fend off criminality in their barangays.

Duterte said this on June 12 – the Philippine Independence Day – in Clark, Pampanga.

“I might consider arming you (village chiefs)…I will ask the police and the intelligence community if you are really into it, [then] I will support you. I might grant you…to carry your firearms,” the President said.

Under the Local Government Code of 1991, village chiefs are allowed to possess and carry firearms when performing their peace and order functions.

‘Pag may gulo pagpasok ng barangay captain, ang kasama niya mga tanod. Hindi naman agad pulis. Unang-una, ‘pag malayo ang barangay sa presinto, kawawa ang constituents kung pababayaan ni kapitan o kung maghihintay pa ng pulis o sundalo,” said Department of Interior and Local Government undersecretary Martin Diño.

Villarosa countered the plan, saying instead of arming village chiefs with guns, their barangay tanods must be provided with handheld radios “so that they can immediately inform the police when there is crime happening.”

Villarosa, the village chief of Barangay Tangub, said village leaders carrying guns will not reduce crime.

Councilor Caesar Distrito said village chiefs are only allowed to carry firearms in their areas of jurisdiction./PN

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