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CEBU CITY, Philippines – The intelligence chief of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) has proposed training members of the Barangay Intelligence Network in martial arts to discourage them from carrying firearms.
Senior Inspector Irene Recla, who presided over the general meeting of the officers and members of the BIN at the CCPO headquarters in Camp Sotero Cabahug in Gorordo Avenue, Cebu City on Sunday, said that it is very important for the civilian anti-crime volunteers to learn martial arts.
The BIN is under the supervision of the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Branch of the CCPO.
Recla said that if BIN members know martial arts, they may no longer want to carry firearms to protect themselves from armed criminals.
She said she wanted to discourage BIN members from carrying firearms especially those who do not have the permit.
The intelligence chief cited the case of two BIN members who were arrested in separate incidents early this month for carrying unlicensed firearms.
The police could not do anything to help them because they violated the law, Recla said.
BIN members need not carry firearms as their work is more on giving information and intelligence and not to engage in combat against criminals.
Although, Recla said that some BIN members help the police in manning checkpoints and guarding some public and private activities.
Recla also wants all BIN members, regardless of whether they have a licensed gun or not, or with permit to carry firearms, to undergo a gun safety seminar.
According to Recla, she noticed that some BIN members do not know how to handle confiscated guns during checkpoints.
“Itunol lang diretso sa pulis ang armas mag-atubang ang tumoy kuyaw kaayo mobuto (They turnover firearms to the police without being careful of where the nozzle is aimed at. What if it goes off?)” Recla asked.
She said the police may ask assistance from the city government to fund the training and seminar of the BIN members as they have no budget for these activities.
