Lingayen–Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz confessed he used to be a lover of guns but joined anyway the growing number of people protesting the issuance of the pump shotguns to Pangasinan’s 1,330 barangay chairmen (kapitans).

In an interview with local media at his chancery, Cruz questioned the propriety of the provincial government’s program arming the kapitans.

He said he cannot understand why Governor Amado Espino Jr. had to distribute one shotgun each to the province’s barangay captains.

“Why were barangay captains given shotguns? This I cannot understand up to now,” said Cruz, pointing out that most barangay chairmen do not know how to handle firearms.

He said it would have been more logical for the governor to give the shotguns to the police because they are the peace officers.

Cruz says holding firearms, especially shotguns, has a psychological effect on the person, adding that “it makes someone feel more confident, more courageous and more forceful than you really are”.

He said out there in the streets, there is a saying that goes “Huwag mong ilabas o bunutin ang ‘yong baril pag hindi mo ipuputok”.

If applied in Pangasinan and all the armed kapitans, this could spell big trouble for the province, Cruz said.

Cruz, now 76, said he used to have seven shotguns and four side arms, all gifts from his mother during his birthdays, when he was still a young priest stationed in Tondo, which at that time was notorious for crimes.

“During my birthdays, my mother used to ask me what gift I would like to have. I said guns, then my mother would say, “Loko mo, paring-pari ka, gusto mo ang baril,” but would still ask me for my preference,” he recalled.

“I loved guns. Mahilig na mahilig ako sa baril. And my shotguns were very good, among them Remingtons, etcetera, etcetera,” Cruz reminisced, laughing.

But the outspoken archbishop said he got rid all of his gun when he was assigned overseas, leaving these to the late General Marking for his security men’s use guarding his cattle ranch.—LM

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