PNP arrests 18 for indiscriminate firing

December 30, 2019

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday arrested a total of 18 people, including a police officer for indiscriminate firing.

As of 6 am, one person were arrested in Ilocos Region, Cordillera Autonomous Region, Calabarzon (Cavite- Laguna- Batangas- Rizal), Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Caraga region and Zamboanga region; two in Bicol, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Bangsamoro Region; and three in National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

Also recorded were three stray bullet incidents in NCRPO and Caraga.

Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac, the PNP spokesperson, said the cop arrested in Caraga was a non-commissioned officer.

Despite the arrest of one cop, Banac said they still believe that their police officers will not indiscriminately fire during New Year’s Eve.

“We fully believed that no one will violate our law but we already recorded one (violator) in Region 13 (Caraga). One of our cops fired, arrested, his firearm was removed and now detained,” he said in a radio interview.

The PNP also recorded seven people who were injured due to illegal discharge of firearms.

Banac reminded the public to not use their firearms and be responsible gun owners.

“Sometimes when we were drunk, we are tempted to use (our guns). So we remind everyone to now cause injury to other people because it is against the law,” he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS