Bill banning armed bodyguards at Batasan backed

MANILA, Philippines - Cagayan Rep. Juan Ponce Enrile Jr. expressed support for the call of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to ban bodyguards of congressmen from carrying their firearms within the premises of the Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City.

“I am totally behind the Speaker when he made this call of banning armed bodyguards inside the halls of Congress,” Enrile said.

Belmonte earlier said he plans to limit the areas where armed bodyguards of lawmakers would be allowed after a security aide of Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao tried to pull his gun on some members of the media covering the House of Representatives.

Enrile, a well-known gun enthusiast and national president of the Philippine Practical Shooting Association (PPSA), said people who are not aware of the many responsibilities that go with owning a firearm should not even be allowed to carry one.

“Owning a gun is not a license to berate or bully anyone, owning a gun is about responsibility and respect for others,” Enrile said.

He also reminded his colleagues that “the hallowed halls of Congress should be used for productive debates and formulation of laws for the betterment of the greater public.”

“It should not be a place for those who want to show their machismo by toting their guns at the first available opportunity,” he said.

Enrile also expressed confidence in the capability of the Office of the House Sergeant-at-Arms to protect lawmakers while they are inside their place of work.

“We have a very competent and professional security force so there really is no point of further bringing in armed bodyguards within the halls of Congress,” he said.