“Don’t shoot i’m a journalist!” An ABS-CBN crew shot at last Sunday in a wake

Photo by Panoramic Images. Gun Firing a Bullet. Used here for  educational, non-commercial purposes, free service by blog-use of image provided by and from www.allposters.com

         Before the week ends, we probably should not let this pass. The   cameraman and crew could have been killed when they were fired upon by the distraught father of one of those killed in an alleged rub-out. The crew was covering the funeral wake in Laguna (about two hours from Makati, the financial district).  

             People in grief and not in control of their faculties should not be allowed to carry firearms;  for that matter, people blinded by their rage in moments of turmoil should not own firearms at all.

       (And for that matter, anybody, police or not, specifically inclined to commit certain crimes should not have firearms at all).   

          There are organizations campaigning for a gunless society and there are those campaigning for responsible gun-ownership; but the reality is, government tolerates the proliferation and widespread possession and use, unaccounted for, of unregistered M-16’s, M-60s, grenade launchers, Glucks, 45’s, without permits.

      Gun ownership requires permits, those applying for permits to carry firearms (i.e., handguns; civilians are not allowed to carry long firearms such as M-16s etc.) are supposed to have undergone a psychological test, are required to justify why they need a gun, (such as for example, they have security problems), and are supposed to have taken up gun lessons or training  in handling and firing; that training  for example includes,  never pointing  a gun at anyone even if it’s not loaded unless you are about to kill that human being in defense of yourself or  loved one;  always  resting your index finger, straightened, don’t crook it,  OUTSIDE  the “house” of the trigger  unless  you are about to kill another human being in defense of yourself or loved ones, etc., etc. In other words, not everybody or not anybody should be allowed to own or carry firearms. Perhaps these are too much to ask for in a god-forsaken country.

     In a country where private armies, warlords and all kinds of lords dominate elections and Philippine politics , it is probably futile to hope for the enforcement of  laws and standards. Ward leaders of politicians, the relatives of ward leaders of politicians, the ward leaders’ family members, their  entourage and barangay leaders and their retinue,  all have guns.

     Policemen and task forces who shoot down their suspects are  role models on the use of these guns.

     When the father of Montano Tolentino, a victim of  a shooting incident with Task Force RCBC,   reportedly fired a gun at an ABS-CBN crew  but people around him struck his arm upwards so the gun fired in the air, his family attempted to justify the action by speaking of his trauma and the fact that they had warned the ABS-CBN crew to go away.

     In the aftermath of the gun-firing, the head of Task Force RCBC gloated: “Look at those people whose rights you are defending.”

     Would you rather be in the company of armed men who plan out their killing or armed men who do not plan out their shooting?

     Whatever his emotional state was, unfortunately, it wouldn’t be a defense for:

        “Art. 254. (Revised Penal Code). Discharge of firearms .  — Any person who shall shoot at another with any firearm shall suffer the penalty of prision correccional in its minimum and medium periods, unless the facts of the case are such that the act can be held to constitute frustrated or attempted parricide, murder, homicide or any other crime for which a higher penalty is prescribed by any of the articles of this Code.” Closed- quote.

        The venue of any such criminal case is  the RTC of Laguna, where the witnesses (or complainants) have to go several times to testify. Would you feel safe going there to testify, would you feel  any safer  in the company of “law-enforcement” authorities if you decide to file the cases? Those are not legal issues anymore.