Christian villagers given guns to thwart rebels

Manila: The Philippine National Police (PNP) distributed 1,000 shot guns among Christian residents in several villages in the southern Philippines and also imparted training in the use of the firearms with the aim of deterring armed takeovers by Muslim rebels.

"The guns were distributed to responsible residents who were appointed as members of police auxiliary units to assist the police in countering attacks of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in several villages in Mindanao," said PNP chief Avelino Razon Jr.

Criminal records and the physical fitness of those who had been given guns had been carefully ascertained, said Razon, adding that shotguns had initially been distributed in several provinces in four regions in the south.

"The move is legal and based on an executive order which grants the PNP an active role in internal security operations," Razon explained.

"The PNP is planning to distribute more shotguns in other parts of Mindanao if the police auxiliary force proves effective in deterring MILF attacks," said PNP spokesman Nicanor Bartolome.

"The civilian volunteers are now part of the police auxiliary force. They will be properly trained and they will be utilised in the defence of different Christian-dominated villages," Bartolome said.

Meanwhile, residents of villages in South Cotabato have urged the government to give them more weapons to fight back the MILF.

"We are all willing to help the government forces in fighting the rebels," said Boy Miskin, head of Lampari village.

MILF commanders have seized some 20 Christian-dominated villages in the south, resulting in 50 deaths and the displacement of around 165,000 people, said the National Disaster Coordinating Council.

The takeover of Christian villages started after the Supreme Court prevented the government and the MILF from signing a land deal that allowed the expansion of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

- With inputs from Rafael Juan, Correspondent