Senator Leila de Lima blasted on Tuesday, June 29, the plan raised by President Duterte to civilian groups to help authorities in crime fighting.
"Ang laking problema na nga na ituro yung tamang batas sa kapulisan natin, gusto pa natin isama sa kaguluhan ang mga pribadong mamamayan (We already have a huge problem with teaching our police on laws, now we want to add private citizens to this mess)," De Lima said in her disptach.
"Ilang beses na ba natin nakitang pumatay ng walang kalaban-labang biktima ang mga abusadong pulis? Ilang trigger-happy na pulis na ba ang basta-basta na lang namamaril (How many times have we seen helpless people get killed by abusive cops? How many trigger-happy cops have shot people)?"
"If the PNP leadership cannot even control their men and prevent them from committing crimes on acts of violence against civilians, what makes them think they can control armed civilians?" De Lima pointed out.
Duterte floated last week the idea of arming qualified anti-crime civilian groups to help law enforcers in chasing suspected criminals.
It should be the criminals who must die, said the President.
But Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte's pronouncement is not yet final.
De Lima, on the other hand, said the government should focus more on providing aid for poor and displaced families amid the pandemic.
"Puwede rin natin bigyan ng maayos na sahod ang ating mga teachers at healthcare workers na walang tigil magtrabaho sa kabila ng nangyayari sa ating bansa (Maybe give our teachers and health care workers the proper compensation for continuing to serve despite all that's happening in our country)," she added.