ILOILO City – Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) personnel need guns, too, for their security especially when investigating arson cases. So said Fire Senior Superintendent Gerry Candido, the bureau’s Western Visayas director.
The BFP Modernization Bill recently approved by Congress has a provision that authorizes some fire bureau personnel to carry firearms.
“This is good news,” said Candido. “We need firearms, especially our investigators dealing with possible arson suspects.”
In fact, he said, some of his investigators have procured their own firearms.
“Dugay na namon gina–ayo nga tani i-authorize man kami magdala sang armas,” said Candido.
The measure is now up for President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature. Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa, the author, said it was “borne out of request coming from Malacañang and from President Duterte.”
“His intention was to arm BFP personnel with short firearms. He wanted to make these personnel available to support law enforcement operations of the PNP (Philippine National Police) and the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines),” Dela Rosa said.
“Darating ‘yung panahon that mag-shi-shift ng focus ang ating military, from counterinsurgency to external threat… And the problem of insurgency will be deemed a law enforcement problem and shall be transferred to the PNP,” Dela Rosa said.
“If the PNP is already occupied with tasks, they can ask for the assistance of the BFP if they can man the police station and the roads for the meantime,” he added.
Arson investigators and other officers who are members of the Security and Protection Unit (SPU) are the only ones proposed to carry firearms.
Only 14 firefighters for every fire regional office and city station will be authorized to carry a firearm as members of the SPU, Dela Rosa said.
Candido, for his part, said if ever the bill gets the President’s nod, the firemen should use the firearm for their protection and not for committing crimes.
“Amo lang ‘ni mahambal ko sa mga firemen, once may armas na kamo, do not use them to abuse others or gamiton sa krimen…Use them to protect yourselves from criminals. Anyway, limited man lang ang tagaan sang armas, indi man tanan,” Candido added.
The government will allot out around P80 million to buy short firearms to 2,282 firemen./PN
