TO avoid the indiscriminate use of guns while confronting or chasing a suspected criminal, Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa on Tuesday proposed the return of “whistle and baton” use by policemen.
“Instead of prioritizing the non-lethal approach, some policemen opted to use the harsher and most dangerous lethal approach,” Dela Rosa noted.
During the continuation of the hearing by the Senate Committee on Public Order on the death of teenager Jemboy Baltazar who was allegedly gunned down by six Navotas policemen, Dela Rosa suggested the revival of the old-fashioned while and baton as part of a police uniform.
Dela Rosa, himself a former chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said there seemed to be confusion on the use of force in dealing with suspects.
He noted that use of firearms is justified if the offender poses an imminent danger of causing death or injury to the police officer or other persons.
“The police should not use warning shots during police operations except if the police officer is outnumbered and overpowered and his or her life… is in imminent danger,” Dela Rosa stressed.
Dela Rosa narrated that as they were going down the elevator in the Senate, he told PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. not to wait for the Senate or Congress to make a law on the return of whistle and baton,
“Go first, you make your own policy, return that as part of the uniform- the baton and then, the whistle,” he said.
“Do you have less lethal equipment there? None. You have no whistle. You have no baton,” Dela Rosa told Acorda.
Without anything less than lethal, Dela Rosa said the tendency of the police is to directly use a gun because they have no other options.
He admitted that policemen do not want to use a “batuta” so they can have a baton or nightstick.
“Or if you want to look more handsome, they can use telescopic baton.”
He also pointed out that once a policeman blows his whistle while running after a suspected criminal, “that’s a sign of authority. “
“Para hindi tatakbo yun, hindi yung paputok agad,” Dela Rosa said.
Furthermore, Dela Rosa said the question begging for answer was; “Did the presence of the teenager Jemboy Baltazar pose danger to the seven fully grown adult PNP personnel?”
He also asked if Capt. Mark Joseph Carpio, who was in charge of the operation, ensured the observance of the rules of engagement and exercised control over all police personnel during their operation.
