Due to the killing of Jemboy Baltazar at the hands of Navotas cops, Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa has brought forward a proposal stressing the return of baton and whistle as part of the Philippine National Police (PNP) uniform.
The senator, who was a former chief of the Philippine National Police under the Duterte administration, floated the idea during the continuation of the Senate's investigation on Tuesday into the death of 17-year-old Baltazar, who was shot by the police after they mistook him for a suspect in a crime.
"As we were going down the elevator, kanina kasama ko si chief PNP (General Benjamin Acorda), sinabi ko sa kanya na siguro ‘wag na kayong mag-intay pa na gagawa pa tayo ng batas, ang Senado o Kongreso gagawa pa ng batas. Gawin ninyo na ngayon, unahan na ninyo, you make your own policy ibalik ninyo ‘yan as part of the uniform ‘yung batuta at saka ‘yung pito para sige tayo sabi ng force continuum dito from non-lethal to less lethal to lethal pero as part of the uniform, meron ba kayong less lethal equipment d'yan? Wala," Dela Rosa said.
Dela Rosa, who seats as chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, believes that the police immediately used guns in what happened to Baltazar because they did not have "less lethal" weapons.
"Wala kayong pito, wala kayong batuta. Ang meron lang baril. So kaya nga siguro diretsong gumagamit ng baril dahil walang ibang option na ginagawa ang kapulisan kundi diretsong baril ang gamit. So babalik tayo ngayon sa traditional [policing] na kailangan as part of uniform ng isang pulis, may batuta, may pito," he said.
"Importante talaga dahil kapag nakita ka ng tao na tumatakbo pituhan mo. That’s a sign of authority. Para hindi tatakbo ‘yun. Hindi ‘yung paputok agad," he continued.
According to Dela Rosa, if the police no longer wants the traditional baton, there are now modern batons such as the telescopic baton.
In his initial statement, Dela Rosa insisted that police should only use their guns when their lives are in danger.
"The 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 shall 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," he insisted.
"Tila may kalituhan ang ating mga pulis hinggil sa pagkakasunod-sunod ng use of force continuum kaya’t marahil baligtad ang kanilang pagkakabasa o pagkakaintindi. Imbes na unahin ang non-lethal approach ay mas pinili nilang unahin ang pinakamabigat at pinakamapinsala na lethal approach," he added.
