Not all civilian volunteer organization (CVO) will be deputized as Police auxiliary

Miami
August 22, 2008
Story: Not all civilian volunteer organization (CVO) will be deputized as Police auxiliary

The Philippine National Police are planning to hire people as police auxiliaries that would help them maintain peace and order and to secure the villages in the provinces of Mindanao especially the affected areas of the current incidents there.

The civilian volunteer organization (CVO) who will be deputized as police auxiliaries we will be defining their areas of responsibilities and do the task that they have to do. These CVOs will help the PNP to secure barangays of their town.

However, not all CVO will be considered as police auxiliaries as they have to undergo screening, background investigation and training.

Department of Interior and local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo Puno explained that CVOs are not authorized to carry firearms unless they are already deputized as police auxiliaries.

As explained by the Secretary a CVO is not necessarily a police auxiliary. “In the province of North Cotabato there are about 2,500 to 3,000 CVO, in Sultan Kudarat, about 3,000 CVO, in Maguindanao I would say between 10,000 to 12,000 CVO. These CVO are not authorized to carry arms. Before they can utilize to assist in security concerns, they have to be deputized as police auxiliaries. That is the process that we are undergoing now. Only cvos who are deputized as police auxiliaries can assist the PNP in the exercise of its police functions,” Puno said.

It will be the PNP, the provincial directors and chiefs of police of municplal police stations who will command and control the police auxiliaries in their areas. If they will pass the screeneing, background checking and training they will already be considered as police auxiliaries and be armed with a shotgun for them to be able to carry out their functions as village defense.

PNP Director General Avelino Razon also said that the work of the police auxiliaries will be limited on their own barangay. “They will not be used as manuever forces or elements. Also, if they are residents of Kolambugan, they should stay there only and not act as police auxiliary in the barangay of the other town like Kauswagan (Lanao del Norte).”

Meanwhile, Puno appealed to the CVO who wants to apply as police auxiliaries to let the AFP and PNP do the work in operations and not to take part in fighting with the MILF.