By Jennifer P. Rendon and Glazyl Y. Masculino
The top police official of Western Visayas is not in favor of the proposal for police officers to leave their guns in their stations when not on duty.
“No, I will not,” Brigadier General Rolando Miranda, Western Visayas police chief, said when asked if he would compel police officers to leave their issued firearms after their duty.
“Paglabas ng bahay, “yung buhay namin, kalahati ng katawan namin ay nasa kabaong na. ‘Pag ginawa namin ‘yun baka ibinigay na namin buong katawan namin sa kabaong ng walang kalaban-laban. Hindi naman pupwede ‘yun,” Miranda said.
But that’s only true for government-issued firearms.
As to personal firearms, Miranda said police officers should have a valid license and a permit to carry firearm outside of residence (PTCFOR).
“Pag wala, sorry,” he said claiming he used to order the arrest of cops before who carried personal firearms without a license and a PTCFOR or even a mission order.
If a police officer is in uniform, he could carry his gun as it is part of his office garb.
The bringing of firearm by off duty policemen was highlighted after the controversial case of Police Staff Sergeant Jonel Nuezca, the cop who shot a mother and son in Tarlac on Sunday, December 20
Nuezca was off-duty and had just arrived home from his assignment in Parañaque City when the incident happened.
‘HOLD YOUR HORSES’
Miranda told police officers in Western Visayas to hold their temper when facing dire or tense situations.
“Please hold your horses ‘pag emotionally challenged na kayo. Huwag ninyong gagayahin ang nangyari sa Tarlac. Naniniwala pa rin ako, confident pa rin ako sa inyo na kayo ay may sanity to dispense your sworn duties,” he said.
By nature, Ilonggos are peace-loving people and that the culture in the area is quite different.
But still, “kung kayo ay malalagay sa alanganin, hanggat maaari, huwag gamitin ang inyong baril para maging advantage kayo sa situation,” he said.
But when your life is in danger and you think that you will be killed, Miranda said that self-preservation should be the utmost concern.
Police officers should be able to assess the situation.
“What happened in Tarlac has no sense of danger. Nakita mo ‘yung ano (video)? Sino ang hindi kukulo ang dugo doon? Ako nga alagad ng batas, nagmumura ako ng makita ko yun. Tumaas ang BP ko dahil sa ginawa ng t—-inang pulis na yun,” he said.
Miranda added, “akalain mo ‘yun? Proud na proud ‘yung anak nya na my dad is a policeman and yet pinakita nya sa anak nya kung gaano sya ka walang hiya, gaano sya kahayop na policeman. Sa palagay niyo, lalaki ba ‘yung bata na walang trauma? Kawawang-kawawa yung anak nya dun. At kawawa yung pamilya ng pinatay nya.”
For every abuse there is a corresponding consequences, Miranda reminded police officers.
CONDEMNATION
Meanwhile, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) and Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) condemned Nuezca’s actuations.
Colonel Romy Palgue, director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo), said he felt saddened that the entire police force was affected by the incident that resulted in public condemnation.
The public outrage stemmed from a video showing police Staff Sergeant Jonel Nuezca shooting two unarmed civilians – Sonya Gregorio, 52, and Frank Anthony Gregorio, 25 – at close range outside their residence after a confrontation over “boga,” a noisemaker usually made of PVC pipe or bamboo for revelries.
“The sin of Nuezca is not a sin of all policemen. Nakikita ko outrage ng mga tao at naiintindihan ko naman iyon,” Palgue said.
Palgue believed that the incident can be considered an isolated case.
“Hindi naman lahat ng police ay ganun,” he said, although he stressed that what Nuezca did was very wrong.
For his part, Lieutenant Colonel Ariel Pico, public information officer of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), said that Nuezca’s action was not justifiable.
He, however, refused to further comment on the matter as he leaves the matter to the court.