Firearms were placed on display during the Tactical,Survival and Arms Expo held at the SM City trade hall on Friday. CDN photo/ Junjie Mendoza
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has agreed with President Rodrigo Duterte on the topic of issuing firearms for barangay captains, citing the need for protection from threats against them.
“Bilang ating unang hanay ng depensa sa grassroots, napakataas ng kanilang exposure sa iba’t- ibang uri ng masasamang-loob at mga criminal,” DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said in a statement on Monday.
“Dahil dito, sila ay nangangailangan ng agarang proteksyon,” he added.
(As they are the first line of defense in the grassroots, they are highly exposed to different threats from bad elements and criminals. And because of that, they need immediate protection.)
President Duterte made the statement on June 8 as he was talking to newly-elected barangay officials of Region VII. Several lawmakers expressed their concerns over the suggestion, saying that it is more of a problem than a solution.
In the statement, Año said that barangay captains can buy firearms and they may be given a “permit to carry.” Aside from that, they may also be included in the Civilian Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) or in the Special Civilian Armed Auxiliary (SCAA).