MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers and human rights advocates on Monday opposed President Rodrigo Duterte’s bid to arm civilians to help in the government’s anticrime campaign, warning that this could lead to the emergence of more vigilante groups and a rise in criminality in the country. Instead of arming civilians, the PNP should intensify the assistance it extends to the countryside,” she said. Duterte said on Friday that the PNP’s civilian volunteers could get guns so they could defend themselves while making a citizen’s arrest. “If you have this coalition, you have a list of people who are there and who can arm themselves. This is not the first time Duterte floated the idea of arming civilians as part of his broader crackdown against crime.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer June 28, 2021 21:00 UTC