Bato: Arrest gun-toting ‘barangay’ watchmen

PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa on Tuesday instructed all policemen to arrest barangay tanod (village watchmen) illegally car The order came after an incident in December last year involving 10 policemen in Mandaluyong City who mistakenly fired at a “First of all, these watchmen, they are not authorized to carry - structions to all members of the PNP to arrest all armed village watchmen,” de la Rosa said in a news conference at Camp Crame “Magalit na kung magalit ‘yung mga mayor diyan na bossing ng mga tanod na ‘yan, wala akong pakialam [ The mayors who are the bosses of these watchmen can get mad, I don’t The PNP chief explained that if a watchman has a permit to (PTCFOR), it is legal for him to “But if [the watchmen] do not have that [PTCFOR] and they will only invoke that they are village giving instructions to all chiefs of police to [arrest] these watchmen The PNP chief added that the watchmen are only authorized to carry nightsticks while making rounds in their respec He noted contributions made by the watchmen in maintaining peace and order but said if they will be the source of problems, it will not be tolerated, especially “If they will be able to obtain a PTCFOR, then they cannot be charged with illegal possession of firearms [ but] they will be charged with homicide if they will