Arming civilians a ‘case-to-case’ matter

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Iloilo Provincial Police Office (IPPO) Director Gilbert Gorero on Friday is of two minds over the proposal to arm civilian volunteer groups to help maintain peace and order in the country.

President Rodrigo Duterte on June 25, 2021 said he was open to arming civilian groups, reiterating a 2018 pronouncement saying he would consider giving out free guns to the public to fight drugs and crime.

Gorero told Daily Guardian on Air that the proposal was “helpful”, but he finds the situation “peculiar” and a case-to-case matter.

The police chief explained that one advantage of the proposal is maintaining peace in areas that were cleared of rebels.

Gorero said some barangay officials in “insurgency-cleared” areas have been clamoring to be armed for the safety of their community.

But he said that while the law allows certain persons from possessing licensed firearms, there are no laws which allow barangay officials to carry firearms.

Section 7 of Republic Act No. 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act) allows only the following persons to carry firearms outside their homes, with permit to be secured from the police’s Firearms and Explosives Office:

– members of the Philippine bar;

– certified public accountants;

– accredited media practitioners;

– cashiers, bank tellers;

– priests, ministers, rabbi, imams;

– physicians and nurses;

– engineers; and

– businessmen, who by the nature of their business or undertaking, are exposed to high risk of being targets of criminal elements.

“In a matter of months, there have been barangays which have been cleared under regional security operations. The next question asked by the people is, because they withdrew their support to the armed group, who will then support the people in the community in the internal areas?” Gorero said.

The disadvantage, he said, was in urban areas where civilians do not need to be armed.

“For those in flat or highly developed areas, where arming civilians is not necessary. In this case, ‘arming civilians’ means arming those who join the police in doing rounds, and it would be uneasy in terms of due force,” he said.

Gorero said it would be best if civilians acquire firearms after securing license to own and possess and firearms and permits to carry firearms outside of residence.

SMALL TOWN LOTTERY

Gorero also discussed the operations of the Small Town Lottery (STL) in the province of Iloilo through Seven Aces Games and Amusement Corp., the authorized agent corporation of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

PCSO chair Royina Garma personally met with Seven Aces’ representatives on her official visit last June 25. She also met with Gorero and other local police officials to discuss the STL operations in the province.

“[Seven Aces] is the only one exclusively given by the PCSO the rights in terms of [STL]. In fact, they have now the certificate or the authority to operate for [Seven Aces] in Iloilo, excluding Iloilo City. Seven Aces could now legally operate in the province of Iloilo after coordination with [Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr.] and other local chief executives in the province,” he said.

As to the Peryahan ng Bayan numbers game, he said that they had been informed by the operator of the status quo ante order upheld by the Court of Appeals (CA).

The status quo ante order issued by the Pasig City Regional Trial Court in May 2016 mandates the PCSO to recognize the Peryahan ng Bayan’s authority to operate pending the resolution of their case.

But Gorero said that the CA order did not apply to Iloilo province.

Garma also said during her visit that Peryahan ng Bayan did not have any authority to operate in the province.

“The CA allowed for their operating pending the resolution of their case. Initially, we also have a certification coming from the PCSO certifying that it is only Seven Aces was the only [STL] authorized agent granted authority to operate [STL] in the province. This also further certified that Iloilo province is not included in the 15 areas of ‘Peryahan’ games covered by the status quo ante order issued by the court,” Gorero said.