THE killing of radio broadcaster Fernando Batul in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, has revived the issue of arming journalists.
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales, according to a news report dated May
24, said Malacañang is amenable to the idea if journalists believe it
would help stop media killings (71, says the PNP since 1986).
Playing along, let’s say media goes ahead with the idea. How should Mr.
Walter Mitty, scoop machine par excellence, proceed with getting armed?
The first step for Mitty should be, of course, is to get a gun. A stern
look does not count as sufficient deterrence against murderous attacks
and pepper spray is good only when the wind is blowing the other way.
Next, what gun should Mitty get? Since reporters do field work, the
right gun for Mitty should be light for daily carry and fits in a bag
with the recorder, the notebook, press card and the ubiquitous
ballpoint pen – a compact auto-pistol.
But handguns are limited as personal defense weapons, while media
killings involve more than one attacker, utilize more than one weapon
and always involve a vehicle.
A second gun is thus required. The second gun for pistol-packing Mitty
should be a rifle. Clint Smith, after all, said that pistols are only
good for use in fighting one’s way back to recover the rifle that one
should have never put down to begin with.
This won’t come cheap but what the hell; no expense is too small to
ensure survival, right? Thus, it won’t be too objectionable for
pistol-packing and rifle-bearing Mitty to also consider buying a car.
Firearm-carry laws in the Philippines, after all, prohibit one from lugging around a loaded rifle in the open.
Pistol-packing, rifle-bearing, car-driving Mitty, however, has to
remember that firing a rifle from an enclosed space like the inside of
a car is harmful to one’s sight and hearing. The muzzle flash is
blinding and the sound is deafening. Acquiring shooting glasses and
earmuffs while driving is, therefore, highly advised.
While at it, Mitty is also enjoined to procure devices like red dot
scopes, which help in aiming in the dark, tactical illuminators
(flashlights that cost P8,000) and a three-point tactical slings to
assist in “rapid firearm deployment.”
At this point, with the pistol-packing, rifle-bearing, car-driving,
safety glasses and earmuff-wearing Mitty, already having wet the feet
in tacti-coolness by spending on gear, should might as well douse
himself by going full-throttle and buy a level III-A bullet-proof vest.
If Mitty finds it too heavy to wear, then Mitty is advised
to stay home. After all, a pound of prevention is better than a ton of
cure. Mitty is however enjoined to always keep in mind that Marelene
Garcia-Esperat, a journalist from Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, was
shot and killed at home.
This in turn suggests the need to purchase yet another firearm...
Firearms have about as much to do with journalism as it does with the practice of medicine.
Journalists can opt to purchase and carry one, as all citizens enjoy
the privilege of firearm ownership under existing laws, but it can
never be part and parcel of what we do.
What scares me about people who own guns is that they suddenly feel empowered when they've got one in their hands.
ingon ana man gyud na. that's why the pro-gun movement supports mandatory psych testing for firearm license applicants. the problem, really, is the paltik guns. anybody one can get one from the black market (Danao) for P500 without psych testing, ballistic registration, gun safety seminar, etc. nothing gyud. that's what crooks use. nobody is foolish enough to use a licensed gun in crimes man. the pro-gun movement is constantly calling the PNP to solve the paltik problem but, as in most other things, palpak ang PNP. :( mao nang a growing number of people have decided to lawfully acquire firearms for self protection na lang.
What scares me about people who own guns is that they suddenly feel empowered when they've got one in their hands. 