Special arms eyed for hostage crisis

A ranking police official recommended yesterday the issuance of special weapons and bullets for policemen dealing with hostage situations.

Senior Superintendent Marcelino "Bong" Franco Jr., Northern Police District (NPD) chief, said policemen involved in hostage situations should be armed with bullets which maim the hostage-taker to prevent harming his victim. Franco made his recommendation in his report to Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco in light of the recent accidental killing of 11-year-old hostage, Rachel Valeriano in Navotas.

One of the responding policemen, bemedalled PO2 Edgardo de Guzman, 35, of the Navotas police warrant section, opened fire at the hostage-taker, Bonifacio Francisco, 37, but the bullet exited his body and hit and killed Valeriano.

"I recommend the issuance of special weapons and bullets to our policemen involved in a hostage situation so the Valeriano case would not happen again," said Franco.

Like in the United States and European countries, policemen are equipped with special bullets that stops in the body of a criminal or a hostage-taker upon impact and prevent bystanders or their hostage from being endangered, he said. He said, it’s up to the leadership of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to study his recommendation.

De Guzman is being held for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide for the killing of Valeriano. The girl’s father stood as the complainant, Franco told The Star.

But Velasco has yet to decide whether De Guzman should be subjected to summary dismissal proceedings.