LINGAYEN–Mayor Reynaldo Velasco of Sta. Barbara, a retired police deputy director general, said he finds nothing wrong when Governor Amado Espino Jr., when he distributed shotguns to 99 per cent of Pangasinan’s 1,330 barangay captains.

Velasco, said while there are safeguards set in the use of the shotguns under the firearms law, he stressed the need to immediately issue the guidelines that should serve as a safeguard against abuse and misuse.

He cited as an example the need for a barangay chairman to be guided when conducting a hot pursuit on a trouble-maker who may cross the safeguards set in the use of the shotguns under the firearms law, he stressed the need to immediately issue the guidelines that should serve as a safeguard against abuse and misuse.

He cited as an example the need for a barangay chairman to be guided when conducting a hot pursuit on a trouble-maker who may cross the barangay boundary in order to elude arrest.

Velasco maintained that the barangay chairmen can carry firearms because they are persons in authority, just like mayors and governors as provided for in the Local Government Code.

“If a private person is allowed to possess firearms, how much more for a barangay captain who is a person in authority?” asked Velasco, lamenting why the shotgun became a ‘hot’ issue in Pangasinan when, to his mind, should not be an issue at all.

Velasco called on the critics of shotgun distribution to have an objective view of the whole issue and not capitalize on the mistake of a few who have abused or misused their weapons.

“We should be more concerned about the many who will keep the peace,” Velasco said.

The mayor of Sta. Barbara was Espino’s senior officer in the PNP as well as in the defunct Philippine Constabulary. Velasco belonged to the Philippine Military Academy class of 1971 while Espino was with PMA class of 1972.—LM

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