The Senate on Wednesday, August 4 adopted a Senate-House of Representatives bicameral conference committee report mandating the modernization of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).
The approval followed a debate and eventual adoption of a provision allowing a limited number of firemen to be armed with hand guns and the use of body cameras when fighting fires.
Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III led his colleagues in approving the report by a 14-4-2 vote.
Senate President Ralph G. Recto. Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon and Senators Nancy Binay and Francis Pangilinan voted ‘’No’’.
Senators Aquilino Pimentel III and Risa Hontiveros abstained.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel ‘’Migz’’ Zubiri voted ‘’yes’’ by explaining that he originally voted ‘’no’’ in the first bicameral report but changed his mind after President Duterte met him along with Sotto and Speaker Lord Allan Velasco who impressed upon them the importance of Senate Bill 1832 or the BFP modernization bill.
The measure was sponsored by Senator Ronald ‘’Bato’’ dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief.
Dela Rosa was the chairman of the Senate bicameral conference committee chairman.
The first bicameral conference committee report introduced by dela Rosa was rejected because it deviated from the original provisions contained in the Senate measure when it was approved on third and final reading.
Drilon again rejected the second bicameral conference committee report because it contained a provision creating 7-man Security and Protection Units (SPU) per shift to be armed with handguns.
His rationale is that protection could well be extended by the Philippine National Police (PNP).
But Dela Rosa gave an anecdotal evidence when he himself had, during fire suppressions, taken firemen to hospitals after being hurt by persons who wanted firemen to train their water hoses on their houses although they were not yet threatened by fire.
Dela Rosa said these persons, particularly in economically-depressed areas, would cut water hoses and even destroy fire trucks if firemen do not give in to their demands.
He said the measure mandates the formation of seven-man teams of SPUs in two shifts in 17 regional and 146 city fire stations.
To be bought will be 2,282 hand guns at a value of P35,000 each or a total of P79,870,000.
Pangilinan said he was voting ‘’No’’ because the P79.8 million could be better used to upgrade hospitals as the country is in the midst of containing the COVID19 pandemic.
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