(File photo)
MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday said the guns of police officers will not be muzzled for this year's holiday season.
“We received instruction from Maj. Gen. (Leo) Francisco (PNP Director for Operations) based sa guidance ng ating Chief PNP Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. ay iimplement pa rin natin yung practice natin in previous years na hindi na itetape yung mga baril ng ating mga pulis dahil naging effective naman ito in previous years (We will still implement our practice in previous years of not taping the guns of our police officers because it was effective in previous years),” PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo told reporters in a press conference held at Camp Crame, Quezon City.
Fajardo, however, said police regional directors and field commanders must sternly warn their personnel against indiscriminate firing.
She added that the practice of gun muzzling might hamper police response.
“Kasama sa naging consideration is yung dapat particularly yung mga pulis natin na nakadeploy ay kung saka-sakali magrerender sila ng immediate police assistance ay hindi na sila mag aalala na hindi puputok yung baril nila dahil naka tape yun na maaaring maghamper sa mabilis na response nila (In addition to the consideration that should be given to our police officers who are deployed, in the event that they render immediate police assistance, they will no longer have to worry that their guns will not fire because they are on tape, which could hinder their quick response),” she stressed.
Citing PNP records, Fajardo said 12 incidents of illegal discharge of firearms were recorded during this year's holiday revelries.
This is lower than the 26 incidents recorded in 2022 and 25 incidents reported in 2021.
The PNP's gun muzzling tradition for the yearend revelries was first stopped in 2016, under then PNP chief and now Senator Ronald dela Rosa.
Meanwhile, two ranking police officials have been included in the latest reorganization of the PNP.
Based on PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr.'s order, Brig. Gen. Roger Quesada was designated as the director of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 4B (Mimaropa) replacing Brig. Gen. Joel Doria who retired last Dec. 10.
Meanwhile, Col. Clint Bayacsan was designated as acting deputy director of the Civil Security Group (CSG). (PNA)
