42% of Cebu’s ranking police officers fare po

CEBU CITY — A recent firearm proficiency test among 140 ranking officials of the Cebu provincial police who were issued 9 mm pistols showed that 42 percent of them do not know how to use their guns.

Only 81 policemen, or at least 58 percent, passed the five-day proficiency test held last week, while the rest need to enroll in the basic firearms handling course.

"I am disappointed at the results," provincial police chief Jose Antonio Salvacion said.

Salvacion said there is even one municipal police chief, who has had a 9 mm pistol for three years but never knew that exposure to coastal air has caused parts of his gun’s firing mechanism to become rusty, thus exposing him to the risk of a backfire.

Policemen who were issued caliber .45 and .38 handguns are scheduled to take their proficiency test two weeks from now.

Salvacion said he has required all policemen in the province to take the test to upgrade their readiness to respond to alarms and other police-related incidents.

The proficiency test is also aimed at determining whether their service firearms are in good condition.

Salvacion said a policeman who does not know how to use his firearm is a "dangerous man" because, while in pursuit of a criminal, he could hit an innocent bystander.

He added that this kind of policeman also faces the risk of indiscriminate firing.

Earlier, Salvacion threatened to recall the firearms of policemen who would flunk the proficiency test. He, however, later decided to just require the flunkers to take the basic firearms handling course.

Since the provincial police lack funds for bullets needed in the course, Salvacion sought the help of the provincial government and gun club owners. — Freeman News Service