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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider '3 fire trucks or 2,000-plus firearms?': Pimentel asks BFP what's more important

'3 fire trucks or 2,000-plus firearms?': Pimentel asks BFP what's more important

Published Oct 7, 2022 04:01 pm

“Three fire trucks or 2,000-plus firearms?”

Members of the Bureau of Fire Protection-NCR (Mark Balmores/ MANILA BULLETIN)

This was the question Senator Koko Pimentel asked the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) during the agency’s budget hearing before the Senate Committee on Finance on Friday, Oct. 7.

Republic Act (RA) 11589 or the BFP Modernization Act allows firefighters to carry firearms. Former President Rodrigo Duterte signed the law into measure in September 2021.

Duterte previously defended the measure by explaining that firefighters would need to protect themselves from aggressive citizens during fire response.

READ: https://mb.com.ph/2021/09/10/duterte-backs-proposal-to-arm-firemen/

BFP Chief Director Louie Puracan said that under RA 11589, the BFP had to procure 2,282 firearms for firefighters across 146 cities and 17 regional offices.

“When we requested from the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) for the funding of the 2,282 firearms, they begged to defer it because of the shortage of funds,” Puracan said.

“Nag-request din kami na–may savings kasi kami (We requested that–because we have savings of around) P94 million out of the savings for the procurement of fire trucks–we requested the DBM to authorize us to use our savings for the procurement of those firearms. The total cost is around P45 million,” the BFP Chief Director explained.

Pimentel, the Senate minority leader, frowned over the BFP’s proposal to use P45 million of its P94 million fire truck procurement savings for the purchase of guns.

“I’m saddened with the idea to use savings from fire trucks to buy firearms...P45 million is good for how many fire trucks?” the senator asked.

According to Puracan, P15 million is enough to purchase one fire truck.

“The policy question is: three more fire trucks or 2,000 plus firearms? I think, for the BFP, that should be a no brainer. You know what you are supposed to do,” Pimentel pointed out.

Meanwhile, during the budget hearing, Senator Joel Villanueva explained the reason for the firearm procurement in the first place.

According to Villanueva, fellow Senator Ronald dela Rosa enlightened him about the BFP’s firearm procurement, citing “the importance of security personnel".

“It’s not each and every member of the BFP, just the personnel. There’s instances that were recorded that during the time of operation... may nakawan na nangyayari, may looting na nangyayari (robbery and looting take place),” Villanueva said.

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