MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines should drop its plan to deploy armed civilian groups to combat criminality as it will worsen the country’s human rights situation, a human rights watchdog said Thursday.
New York-based Human Rights Watch said this “dangerous idea” creates additional opportunities for abuse.
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“Arming largely untrained and unaccountable militias is a recipe for another human rights disaster under President [Rodrigo] Duterte,” said Brad Adams, HRW Asia director.
“By creating a new militia, the Duterte administration seems more intent than ever on shielding the police and military from accountability for serious abuses,” he added.
The group said the country has a long history of arming civilians in militias or other organized groups that have been responsible for extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations.
The Commission on Human Rights earlier said arming civilian without proper training and clear lines of accountability may lead to lawlessness and proliferation of arms.
Last week, Duterte said qualified civilians should “get a gun” and help the government enforce laws.
Police Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, chief of the Philippine National Police, said civilian volunteers will not be armed, but people who pass qualification to own firearms may use them. Earlier, he said the proposal was only a means “to encourage volunteerism and definitely not vigilantism.”
Sen. Panfilo Lacson, a former police chief, said the PNP should impose stricter gun control measures instead. — Gaea Katreena Cabico with report from Franco Luna