PNP supports arming tanods

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police (PNP) is warm to the idea of allowing barangay tanods or watchmen to carry guns when they go on their daily patrols around the neighborhood.

According to Chief Superintendent Ireno Bacolod, director of the PNP’s Civil Security Group, arming barangay tanods is in line with the PNP’s program of community policing, patterned after Japan’s Koban system.

“Police patrols should have force multipliers. There should be citizens, barangay tanods, professionals, because this is the concept of the Koban system we adopted from Japan. All members of the community are represented in their own barangay patrol,” he told reporters at the opening yesterday of the 2nd 2009 Defense and Sporting Arms Show at the SM Megamall’s Megatrade Hall.

In Japan, the Koban (police box) system provides local residents with safety and peace through the daily contacts of police officers with residents in the area. Its success depends on the human relationship between the police officers and the people in the community.

Bacolod said that under the concept of barangay tanods serving as “force multipliers” for the police, they can be issued firearms and join policemen in conducting patrols in the barangay.

According to Bacolod, the PNP has previously allowed the arming of barangay tanods, especially in “threatened” areas.

He said the armed tanods will be under police, not barangay, supervision and control. The guns, he added, are to be kept at the police station and will only be brought out during patrols.

Bacolod said the guns will be covered by certificates of registration, with the tanods authorized to carry them with issued mission orders.

According to Bacolod, while the guns to be carried by barangay tanods will be limited to 9mm pistols and .45 caliber pistols, other tanods who are former soldiers will be allowed to carry semi-automatic and automatic rifles.

He added that civilians who have licensed guns, covered by permits to carry, can also bring their firearms and join the tanods and policemen on patrols.