The Philippine National Police regional command has confirmed reports that there are policemen who do not have government-issued firearms.

PNP Region 7 regional commander, Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo Jr., however, said all policemen have firearms, some of them personally owned by them.

Garbo said government is addressing this problem on a nationwide scale, in line with the campaign against loose firearms.

There are reports that some new policemen do not have firearms, and are acquiring firearms legally from Shooters, because they cannot wait for government to issue them one. 

As for the issue of policemen holding licensed firearms without authority to carry, Garbo said the problem of firearms availability in the Philippine National Police is being addressed at the national headquarters.

He said there is a move by the chief PNP together with Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo to allocate the P2 billion intended for capability enhancement program for 2012, for the purchase of firearms.

Meanwhile, Negros Oriental PNP provincial director, Senior Supt. Edward Carranza, said that if one politician has a lot of goons, he has with him more than 1,500 policemen. “They better think it over again,” Carranza said.*JG

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