Senior Superintendent Sofronio Ecaldre, provincial director, PNP-Zamboanga del Sur, said in an interview with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) that there were no reports of indiscriminate firing by any PNP member during Christmas and New Year’s Day celebrations.
“I am happy that that there were no reports reaching my office regarding indiscriminate firing of guns by policemen,” Ecaldre said adding that the entire police force was subservient to the directive issued by the PNP national headquarters to refrain from engaging in indiscriminate firing during holiday seasons.
“This means to say, that policemen are more mature and professional,” Ecaldre added.
It can be recalled that last Dec. 24, the PNP provincial office led a province-wide taping of muzzles of firearms issued to 1,147 policemen in a ceremony held at Camp Abelon headquarters, as a preventive measure to ensure that the guns issued to policemen are not fired indiscriminately on New Year’s Eve.
During the taping of muzzles ceremony, Ecaldre said he sternly reminded his men that he would not hesitate to file administrative charges against those policemen who might be involved in indiscriminate firing of firearms.
Senior Police Officer 3 Jovencio Bucog said with his 14 years in service at ZSPPO, he did not fire his issued firearms especially during holiday revelries.
Bucog said the best thing to do is to avoid any accident of innocent children and civilians being hit by stray bullets.
Bucog said he would only fire his gun during legal police operations.
Ecaldre also reported that the New Year celebration in the province was generally peaceful with only four minor fire-cracker related incidents recorded in Pagadian City. (PIA9)