EDITORIAL - Don’t arm force multipliers

As of this writing a manhunt is now ongoing for a man accused of shooting his live-in partner and her two daughters last Monday in Sitio San Roque in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City. The live-in partner and one daughter were killed; the other daughter is in critical condition in the hospital.

According to investigation, the alleged perpetrator, Jan-Jan Moko, is a force multiplier, also known as an asset of the police. Police assets are individuals who are not just informers but who can also be called on to assist policemen in carrying out certain operations.

There has been debate as to whether or not they should be allowed to carry guns. No less than President Rodrigo Duterte proposed that force multipliers should be allowed to carry guns during the launch of the PNP’s Global Coalition of Lingkod Bayan Advocacy support groups and force multipliers last year.

We are thankful that there has been no move to this effect. It doesn’t appear the gun Moko used was provided to him by authorities. While this incident involving Moko might be an isolated case, it shows that some police assets and force multipliers are just not ready for such a huge responsibility.

Not all people have the same attitude toward guns. It is different with policemen and military personnel. They have undergone years of gun training, including safety and proper use. We can even say they live and work with their weapons by their side, so they have a healthy respect for firearms that no other professions do.

They know full well what a gun can do or be used for in the wrong hands.

It is different for civilians who may see nothing but the power of being allowed to carry a gun, and not the training that comes before being allowed to use one or the immense responsibility that comes with having one.

Of course, not all police assets are given to violent tendencies like Moko was, according to his neighbors. However, guns should only be in the hands of those who know how and when they should be used.

Until and unless our force multipliers become those kinds of gun owners, they should not be allowed to carry guns.